St. Cloud Lightning Strike Is Blamed For House Fire

ST. CLOUD -- A neighbor investigated the property at 205 19 1/2 Avenue South after hearing a loud bang. She called 911 around 5:20 p.m. when she saw smoke coming out of the eaves of her neighbor's house.

The owner wasn't home at the time. Assistant fire marshal Phillip Schaefer says it took about a minute for the St. Cloud Fire Department to put the fire out.

He says lightning struck an antenna that traveled down the side of the house. The damaged is estimated to be about $5,000.

There were a handful of lightning related fires in St. Cloud over the weekend including one that destroyed Roosevelt Elementary School.