Lightning Damages Two Hinsdale Homes in Sunday Night Storm

Hinsdale firefighters were called to two homes Sunday night after one lightning strike started a fire and another knocked a chimney to the ground.

Shortly before midnight, lightning struck a gable on a home in the 500 block of Walker Street, causing the roof to catch fire, according to Steve Tullis, a firefighter with the Village of Hinsdale.

The homeowner heard the noise, evacuated the family and called 911. No one was injured.

Firefighters saw flames venting from the roof and coordinated an attack to keep the fire from spreading inside the house, Tullis said. The fire was put out shortly after personnel arrived, and most of it was contained to the outside roof and some parts of the attic space.

The damage to the home is estimated at $75,000, Tullis said.

Minutes after firefighters were called to Walker Street, a house in the 800 block of South Grant was struck by lightning.

Tullis said the homeowner heard a loud clap of thunder and another noise after that. The house’s chimney had been struck, and it crumbled and fell into the yard.

There was no fire from the strike, and the damage to the chimney is estimated at $10,000.

Tullis said there were a handful of other calls related to the storm, but no other significant incidents were reported.