A lightning strike started a fire in the attic and second floor of a Forest Lake home at 843 13th Ave. SE. Firefighters had to take out some of the insulation in the attic.
Two house fires occurred in the area on July 12 during a severe thunderstorm. There were no injuries in either fire.
The first fire occurred around 10:45 p.m. at a home on Everton Circle in Wyoming. According to the Wyoming Fire Department, it appears that lightning hit a tree near the home and traveled down the root of the tree until it struck some underground wiring or piping. The lightning traveled to the home’s gas main and damaged the electrical system in the home, also lighting the home’s siding on fire.
However, the fire was small, and the homeowner contained it with a garden hose until firefighters arrived to make sure it hadn’t spread. Firefighters from Stacy, Linwood and Forest Lake were called for mutual aid.
Forest Lake firefighters were called to the scene for mutual aid.
The second fire call came in just before midnight after lightning hit the home at 843 13th Ave. SE in Forest Lake, the Forest Lake Fire Department reported. Multiple neighbors reported the sound of the strike being loud enough to make their home shake.
When Forest Lake firefighters arrived, they could see fire in the home’s second story. However, the department, with aid from Scandia and Hugo firefighters, was able to contain the fire in about 45 minutes. Damage to the second floor and attic was extensive, but the home was not a total loss.
Other storm damage was reported around the area over the weekend, including a tipped boat lift and several downed power lines. Forest Lake Fire Chief Alan Newman said the best approach when a resident sees a downed power line is to call 911 and stay away from the line. A line might seem dead, but it may only be a matter of time before it comes back online.
“The way that power lines are designed, they’ll try to refeed power through the lines,” Newman said.
Theft
Forest Lake police also took a theft report from Rolltex Computers after a customer stuffed a laptop computer down his pants and left the building on July 8. The man was caught on security footage, and he may have left his phone number at the business. Police are currently following leads.