Family left homeless after lightning strike ignites house fire

By Todd Feurer

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    LOCKPORT, Illinois (WBBM) — A lightning strike sparked a house fire Monday evening in Lockport, Illinois, as torrential storms caused flooding across the Chicago area.

Shortly before 7 p.m., the Lockport Township Fire Protection District responded to a house fire in the 16300 block of West Caraway Court.

The fire had started in the attic of a two-story house. The family was able to get out safely before firefighters arrived.

Firefighters from at least eight other fire departments helped put out the fire.

No one was injured in the fire, but the family was left temporarily homeless due to the fire and water damage, and were receiving assistance from the Red Cross, fire officials said.

Investigators determined the fire appeared to be the result of a lightning strike during Wednesday night’s storms, which also caused flooding across the Chicago area and northwest Indiana.

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