Lightning that struck a home’s roof in the Hamilton Mill subdivision early Friday morning sparked a fire that destroyed the house.
Flames were shooting through the roof as firefighters arrived at the house off 8011 Hamilton Mill Drive about 2:30 a.m. Friday, said Chattanooga Fire Department spokesman Bruce Garner.
Firefighters got the flames under control, but the house was a total loss, Garner said. No one was injured, and neighbors reported that the couple who had just bought the house were on vacation.
Neighbors told authorities that a thunderstorm passed through around 7 p.m. Thursday and a huge bolt of lightning struck the house, he said. Officials believe the lightning damaged the wiring in the house and it heated up until sparking a fire about eight hours later, Garner said.