COLUMBUS, Ind. – As thunderstorms continue to impact the area, Columbus Fire Department (CFD) officials believe that a lightning strike led to an early Saturday morning attic fire at a Princeton Park home. Firefighters quickly extinguished the flames, but damage to the home’s attic and roof will leave the family temporarily displaced.
Firefighters were called to the 4400 block of Princeton Park Drive at 1:50 a.m. for a report of smoke inside a home. When they arrived, smoke was coming from the home’s roof peak. As crews prepared for an interior fire attack, the homeowner told them the family had safely evacuated the residence.
With flames now visible, firefighters went to a second-floor bedroom and began pulling drywall from the ceiling. They discovered fire in the attic space and brought the small blaze under control.
The owner of the house told investigators the family was asleep and was awakened by a loud sound. The husband and wife saw smoke and sparks emitting from a heating and air conditioning vent on their bedroom ceiling and gathered their six children and dog, exited the home, and called 9-1-1.
CFD Fire Marshal Troy Todd said evidence indicated that an arc occurred in the homeowner’s bedroom HVAC vent area. He stated that other areas of the residence showed that electrical current traveled beyond the second-floor bedroom area and was probably caused by a lightning strike.
Damage was contained to the home’s attic. Light smoke damage was visible on the second floor, and water damage was present on both the first and second floors of the home. Damages to the building and contents are expected to exceed $100,000.
The residence is temporarily uninhabitable and the occupants told firefighters that they would temporarily be staying with family. CFD contacted the American Red Cross on the family’s behalf, and it will provide needed assistance. No injuries were reported.
