Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) investigators have determined that a lightning strike caused a Saturday morning house fire in the 9200 block of Warfield Road in Gaithersburg.
According to MCFRS, residents reported hearing a lightning strike on the property between approximately 4:30 and 5 a.m. and checked the home but did not find any signs of fire. Sometime before 7 a.m., they smelled smoke, went outside and discovered the roof was on fire.
Firefighters were dispatched at approximately 7 a.m. and arrived to find fire through the roof. Due to deteriorating conditions and sections of the roof collapsing, crews were forced to transition to an exterior-only fire attack. All occupants made it out safely, and no injuries were reported. Five residents have been displaced by the fire.
