Lightning Strike Might Have Sparked Fire In Lombard
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A fire that caused about $100,000 in damage to a west suburban Lombard home Monday night may have been caused by a lightning strike during the heavy thunderstorms that moved through the Chicago area, officials said.
The Lombard police and fire departments were called for reports of smoke inside a single-family home in the 1100 block of Adams Street about 10:30 p.m., authorities said.
When firefighters arrived, they found a fire inside the home's back wall, Lombard Fire Department Lt. Brian Stuart told a reporter at the scene.
"It appears to be started from a possible lighting strike," Stuart said. "We have pretty extensive damage to a tree outside, neighbors reporting quite a lot of lightning activity here."
The house's residents were outside by the time firefighters arrived, and no injuries were reported, Stuart said.
The fire caused an estimated $100,000 worth of damage to the house, Stuart said.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2014. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)