Kentucky business bounces back after facility hit by lightning strike

LONDON, Ky. (WKYT) -The Huffman and Huffman Eye Facility was lost during a fire started by a lightning strike on Memorial Day Weekend.

After the fire, they had to start over as the only thing standing was the patients and community of London.

“The biggest thing that has come out of this unfortunate thing that’s happened is how many friends we have and how much community support we have,”

Owner and Surgeon Jim Huffman said with the help of the community pitching in, they found a new location and are almost ready to reopen.

Then they were told that no carriers would be able to supply the practice with internet until the end of June.

“You would think that in a city like London, there would be internet service everyplace but there is not,” Huffman said.

With no internet or wifi, eye imaging machines cannot work, which are essential to most appointments.

“If these patients don’t get treatment, there’s a chance they could have vision issues,” Huffman said.

They had to resort to renting a separate location to care for their patients while they waited for full-speed internet at their new location.

But after hours of hard work, they are working closer to opening.

“People have been working tirelessly to get this up and going, to help the patients,” Huffman said.

After many phone calls later, the carriers say they are working to get the fiber internet running.

The new practice hopes to open Monday at their new location on Fortress Properties Street.

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