Phone lines typically have a 'whole house' protector
installed free by the telco. If a destructive surge was
incoming on that phone line, then 1) lightning would have to
bypass a higher and more exposed electric lines to get to
phone line, 2) 'whole house' protector for phone line was not
installed or homeowner compromised the protectors all so
critical ground wire, or 3) home did not provide / use a
single point ground. So many reasons why phone lines are
rarely source of surges and why AC electric is source of most
surge damage. AC electric is the one utility that typically
has no protection - especially if using plug-in surge
protectors.

Fax, portable phone base station, and modem damage usually
is from a surge incoming on AC electric. Of course. Most
every home is still wired as if the transistor did not exist;
no 'whole house' protector on the most common source of
destructive surges - AC electric. Even worse, many older
homes have disconnected earth grounds. No earth ground means
no effective protection - no matter how many ineffective
plug-in protectors are installed.

Phrederik wrote:
Even worse, a whole house protector on the AC would not have made a
bit of difference if the lightning came in through the phone line. It
still would have found ground through the PC just the same.