Editing After The Storm:Alan (section)

===During the Storm, origin of powers===
Alan Copperton is the son of Walter Copperton, an electrician and electrical engineer who until the Storm owned two electronics supply shops (both ruined now, of course).
Walter ran afoul of some career criminals running a protection/extortion ring. Walter refused to pay so they burned down his house with the family inside.
Alan had an Origin. *
Using his new powers he rescued his father and younger sister Mabel. His brother Benedict died in the fire. His brother Matthew and sister Alice were shot dead by the waiting thugs who had set the fire. Firehand is not gentle with mobsters who run protection rackets.
Alan's mother Elizabeth ("Bitsy"), and his younger brother Dominic (who hates to be called 'Dom") were seeing their family doctor at the time and so escaped harm.

The Storm happened while the Coppertons were trapped. Alan was affected by the gamma ray burst (and whatever else was going on) and by random radiation bursts from all the electronics in the house as they were fried. This triggered latent genetic attributes in Alan's brain and nervous system.
The exposure to roaring flames, toxic fumes and extreme stress conditions contributed to his power eruption and helped determine the form his powers would take.