Community Support Continues for Katy Family that Lost Everything in Lightning Strike Fire
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KATY MAGAZINE NEWS
June 4, 2026
By Natalie Cook Clark
Multiple storms hit Katy Tuesday night lighting up the sky with intense lightening that brought vast power outages. Three homes were struck by lightning, with one Cinco Ranch area home being a total loss. Katy is proving their strength by helping this family as fire departments share details about the fire.
The Cinco Ranch area took some of the heaviest lightning strikes during Tuesday nights storms. Three homes are believed to have been struck by lightning, with one being a total loss. Fortunately, the family is safe, but three firefighters were treated for injuries and later released.
The Katy community is showing its strength as everyone rallies to help support the family. As of this morning over $35,000 has been raised through a Go Fund Me account.
“The roof was struck by lightning,” says homeowner Laura Carnie. “Me and my 6-year-old son were home, while my husband and 16-year-old were out of the house.”
The Carnie family has lived off of Mayfield Ridge Lane for 9 years in The Ridgefield subdivision. That is off of Cinco Trace Drive near Spring Green Boulevard.
According to Carnie, she’s seen a high volume of fires over the years.
“We would like to thank our regional partners for their assistance during this incident, including Katy, Fulshear, ESD 48, Houston, Community VFD, Westlake, Fort Bend Fire Marshall’s Office, and Fort Bend Co. EMS,” said Willowfork Fire Department. “Their support and cooperation were instrumental in bringing this challenging incident under control.”
The Katy family, Martin and Laura Carnie, along with their two children, 15-year-old Lucy and 6-year-old Jack, experienced the total loss of their home and everything in it. The family is from Scotland and doesn’t have family here to help them, but the Katy community is coming together.
How to Help
Jamie Miranda, a friend of the family, has set up a Go Fund Me account that already is showing an outpouring amount of support from the community.
“In a matter of moments, they lost not only their house, but all of their belongings—clothes, school supplies, keepsakes, and the irreplaceable memories that made their house a home,” explains Miranda.
Lucy Carnie attends Jordan High School and Jack Carnie attends Jenks Elementary. Their friends are rallying to help.
“While we are incredibly grateful that the family is safe,” says Miranda, “they are now faced with the overwhelming task of starting completely over.”
Miranda explains that donations will go toward immediate needs like clothing, food, and temporary housing, as well as helping them begin the long process of recovery.
To donate, visit the account.
Authorities Remind Residents of Storm Dangers
“Residents are reminded that severe thunderstorms can create numerous hazards, including lightning-related fires,” said Willowfork Fire Department. “If a structure is struck by lightning, occupants should remain alert for signs of smoke, fire, or electrical damage and immediately call 911 if concerns arise.”
Katy families took to Katy Magazine’s Facebook page to share pictures from the storm. Such storms are a reminder that we have now entered Hurricane Season.
The City of Katy offers Hurricane Preparedness resources on their website. Katy residents, and those within the surrounding areas are encouraged to sign up for the KTAlert notification.
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