Lightning Sparks Stoughton Fire; 50 Displaced

STOUGHTON, MA — A three-alarm fire at a senior living complex owned by the Stoughton Housing Authority forced dozens of elderly residents from their homes Thursday morning. Multiple report indicated lightning hit the Rose Forte Apartments on Capen Street, sparking the fire. More than 50 residents fled the building.

Firefighters arrived to the apartments shortly after 4:30 p.m., after someone walking by called and said they saw flames on the roof. Fire Chief Michael Laracy told the Patriot Ledger the fire was most likely caused by the cupola being struck by lightning around 6 p.m., Wednesday. There's no fire alarms in the cupola, so residents had no idea the building was on fire. There also wasn't a sprinkler system in the building because it was constructed before building codes required them, but there was a bid put out to have them installed.

Firefighters evacuated the 53 people inside, and no one was injured. Ten apartments sustained water damage.

The lightning happened as the remnants of Hurricane Barry rolled through the Northeast Wednesday and Thursday morning. After the system moves out Friday, temperatures will soar to dangerously high levels. The heat index could hit 108 degrees Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.