Earl Thomas' Texas House Caught Fire After Lightning Strike

Fire crews rushed to NFL free agent Earl Thomas' home in Texas after it caught fire following a lightning strike.

Reports started surfacing on Aug. 11 that the blaze had broken out at Thomas' home in Orange, Texas, a town east of Beaumont along the Texas-Louisiana border.

According to Fox News, Officials said that Thomas had reported hearing a popping sound around 5 p.m. on Thursday. Not long after that, the NFL star and two other family members in the house smelled smoke and were, fortunately, able to flee the house before it was engulfed in flames.

Firefighters were faced with challenges when trying to extinguish the blaze. One of the bigger problems was that Thomas's house was surrounded by brush and trees. Sadly, once the fire had finally been extinguished, it was clear that Thomas's home was a complete loss. Part of the house collapsed due to the damage.

Thomas spent 10 seasons in the NFL as a defensive back, nine with the Seattle Seahawks and one with the Baltimore Ravens. He was named to the Pro Bowl seven times, received numerous All-Pro honors, and was a member of the Super Bowl XLVIII Seahawks.

In May he was arrested for violating a court protective order granted to his estranged wife.

While Thomas hasn't played since the 2019 season, he hasn't officially retired. Earlier this year, he told ESPN's Adam Schefter that he would like to make a return to the NFL.