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Fire crews believe fire at metro Detroit home caused by lightning strike

Posted at 12:19 PM, May 16, 2017
and last updated 2017-05-16 12:19:03-04

Investigators say a house fire was likely caused by lightning during overnight storms.
 
Novi Firefighters say they were called to the home on Fordway Drive, near Mile 9 and Taft just before 5 a.m.

They tell us a family of four got out of the home unharmed.

"We believe it might have possibly been started by the lightning,” said Jeffery Johnson, the Director of Novi EMS and Fire Operations.

There were storms in the area overnight with heavy amounts of lightning around the same time the blaze began.

Johnson says the family, with an 8-year-old and an 8-month-old, woke up to the smell of smoke.
 
"The husband did try to check the interior of the home and wasn't able to locate anything, that's why he went outside. Then he started hearing some popping and crackling coming from the roof area."

That roof line is completely gone, destroyed from the fire. The inside of the home a total loss.

"Quite a bit extensive damage from the smoke and the flames and the roof did burn off,” said Johnson.

The fire marshal tells us it will take about a week to determine if lightning was the cause, but investigators also say so much of the evidence is lost in the flames they may never be able to determine the reason.