Dustin Procita was at his Nevada County home with his two dogs last Friday when he heard a sudden loud explosion in the otherwise peaceful neighborhood, he recounted to NBC affiliate KCRA. The incident occurred in Northern California and may have been caused by a meteor captured on video resembling a “blazing basketball.”
Upon hearing the blast, Procita noticed smoke and flames engulfing his porch as he approached. The Penn Valley Fire Department responded to the blaze at his residence on Englebright Dam Road after receiving a call at 7:26 p.m.
According to Cal Fire spokesperson Mary Eldridge, the fire was brought under control approximately three hours later with assistance from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Unfortunately, a dog perished in the blaze, which engulfed a residence, a travel trailer, and a pickup truck.
Authorities are investigating the possibility that a meteorite struck Procita’s home. Fire Captain Clayton Thomas stated, “That is a potential cause, but it’s premature to determine definitively.”
Numerous witnesses reported to the fire station during the incident, claiming to have seen a possible meteorite fall in the area. However, there is no video footage or eyewitness testimony confirming that the object struck a structure.
