Morris Churchill was holding his daughter, Carolyn, early Sunday evening when lightning struck their home on Churchill street and not only seared the legs of the youngster but virtually paralyzed her father.
Officials said the bolt of lightning apparently struck the chimney of the building, carried down through to the kitchen stove in the second floor apartment, and then went across the floor to Churchill who was holding his daughter.
Lightning cut a swath through the floor, struck the couple, and then went to the kitchen sink where it ripped up the linoleum.
Members of the family said the lightning appeared to be a great ball of fire with blue smoke" when it entered the building.
Mrs. Churchill, the former Shirley Knox of Presque Isle, who had been sitting in the kitchen when the bolt struck, ran unharmed from the building.
When her husband and daughter failed to follow her, she reentered the building and carried out the baby. Her husband had not yet made his appearance, and so Mrs. Churchill again entered the building where she discovered him crawling toward the door.
Taken to the Presque Isle General hospital, he was said today to be in good condition and recovering, although suffering from shock and burns.
Although considerable damage was caused to the second floor apartment in the Floyd Doody owned building, no fire resulted. A wall board at the rear of the kitchen stove was ripped from the wall by the bolt of lightning.