Fire investigators say lightning is to blame for an early morning house fire on Tuesday. No one was home at the time of the fire, but residents in the area reported hearing a loud clap of thunder just before the fire broke out.
Emergency crews were called to the home near 27th and Pierce as storms rolled through the metro in the early morning hours, just after midnight. When crews got to the scene, flames were seen pouring out of the back of the roof. The active storms proved to be a an issue for firefighters attempting to put out the blaze, but they were able to bring it under control within about 30 minutes.
The blaze caused part of the roof to collapse, with damage estimated at roughly $52,000. This is the second house fire sparked by lightning in the last three days.
(Photo courtesy of 6 News)