Early Morning House Fire Caused by Lightning

Lightning is being blamed as the cause of a fire that damaged a home in Calmar early this (Wednesday) morning.
Fire crews were called out at about 5am to a home along Highway 52, that also housed a couple of rented rooms.

The occupants told authorities that they heard a loud "boom" about an hour earlier; a neighbor then noticed smoke at around 5am, and woke the residents; they then called authorities.

All of the residents were able to escape unharmed.

Firefighters from Calmar, Decorah, Fort Atkinson, and Ossian responded; they were able to keep the blaze from spreading from the attic to the rest of the house.

The building did sustain smoke and water damage.

According to the city fire chief, there was a passing thunderstorm in the area at the time, which probably generated the lightning that struck the house, causing the fire.