Lightning strike may have caused fire; roof collapses

UPDATE 4:30 P.M. TUESDAY, AUG. 10, 2021 — Heavy runoff from the water used fighting the fire combined with the heavy rain has caused damage to the roadway leading to the townhouses.

ORIGINAL STORY POSTED 3 P.M. TUESDAY, AUG. 10, 2021

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – A fire likely caused by lightning heavily damages a set of townhouses, including causing a roof to partially collapse.

According to firefighters and a WTVQ ABC 36 News reporter at the scene, the fire was reported at about 1:30 p.m. at 1109 Zoeller Court. The caller reported lightning had struck the building about an hour earlier and finally the resident smelled smoke and then spotted smoke and flames in the attic area.

The woman grabbed some possessions and got out of the building, according to neighbors at the scene.

The building is described as three townhouses together.

Smoke could be seen rising as far away as Newtown Pike. Two ladder trucks were used to attack the fire from above as well as ground crews, firefighters said.

At one point alarms signaled for firefighters to get out of the building and a reporter said the roof on the building appeared to have partially collapsed. Fire fighters later confirmed the collapse.

Battalion Chief Jordan Saas said:

A heavy thunderstorm with lightning moved through the area between 12:30 and 1 p.m.