Dark clouds were visible only by the flashes of lightning that ripped through the morning sky.

"This morning at about probably 6:00 a.m. we heard this--it was like an explosion. I thought I saw sparks flying or something. It scared us to death," said Columbia resident Michelle Schiefer.

Scheifer says the same lightning strike she heard actually created sparks in a house across the street. These sparks, among others, meant an early wake-up call for Boone County Firefighters.

"Starting about just shortly after 5:00 a.m. this morning, we starting receiving calls of lighting strikes to houses," said Boone County Firefighter Gale Blomenkamp.

Gale said the calls are typical with a storm of this magnitude. He said when lightning strikes a house, it runs through the electrical system. This means it can burn TV's, microwaves, computers, or anything else that is plugged in.

Authorities said residents can avoid damages by unplugging appliances and computers from outlets.

The Columbia Fire Department reported the 39 phone calls it received before 11:00 a.m. Tuesday as such:
Fire Alarms 14
Commercial / Residential Structure Fires 4
Investigations 5
Electrical Odor Inside 2
Medical Emergencies 6
Other (Accidents, Water Rescue, Lines Down, etc.) 8