Lightning causes house fire in Damascus, displaces family

A Montgomery County, Maryland, family was displaced after their home caught fire after an apparent lightning strike late Monday night. The fire happened on Sweet Cherry Lane near Greenel Road after 10 p.m. in Damascus. When fire crews arrived at the scene, a two-alarm fire “fully engulfed” the house and popping out of the roof. The family of five was out of the house as firefighters began fighting the flames. Pete Pringer, chief spokesperson for Montgomery County Fire and rescue, said in a tweet a lightning strike caused the fire. The heat from the fire caused some collateral damage to neighboring homes. No injuries were reported.

Over 75 firefighters fought the flames and attempted to limit the damage to the surrounding houses. Lightning also struck a second home in Potomac. According to Pringer, a strike hit a single-family home located on Sycamore View Drive near Hunt Ridge before 10:37 p.m., but no fire was evident once crews arrived at the scene. No one was reportedly hurt by the lightning. The apparent lightning strike came from thunderstorms that arrived late Monday night, causing the National Weather Service to issue a flash flood warning for the majority of the D.C. region. A map of where the fire occurred is shown below. [google_map latitude=”39.26097851899035″ longitude=”-77.20419763769745″ zoom=”15″ height=”300px” location_label=”” dynamic_map=”false”]