A lightning strike led to a significant attic fire at a home in Ocala on Sunday night, displacing a family of three.
Marion County Fire Rescue units were dispatched to the 5600 block of SW 115th Street in Ocala at 8:19 p.m. on Sunday, March 15, after a 911 caller reported that a house had been struck by lightning and the attic was filling with smoke.
Firefighters from Liberty Station #32 arrived on the scene at 8:23 p.m. and observed smoke rising from the ridgeline of the two-story residential roof. They were joined by crews from Marion Oaks Station #24, Ray Lloyd Station #31, and Friendship Station #21 to battle the blaze.
During the operation, crews from Engine 32 entered the home with a hoseline to attack the fire from the interior, while Tower #1 performed vertical ventilation operations on the roof. Firefighters from Engine #24 conducted a primary search of the building to ensure all occupants were out safely.
Heavy fire conditions became visible from the roof once ventilation operations began, but firefighters on Engine #32 were able to achieve a quick knockdown of the attic fire. Command officially declared the fire under control at 8:57 p.m.
There were no injuries reported to civilians or firefighters.
The American Red Cross was called to the scene to assist the three family members who were displaced by the fire.