Update: Lightning Strike Causes Maple Grove House Fire

A lightning strike is the suspected cause of Maple Grove house fire Friday, July 15.

Maple Grove Fire and Police Departments responded to a call of a house fire on the 6800 block of Polaris Lane North around 12:30 p.m. No one was injured during the incident, according to officials.

Maple Grove Fire Chief Scott Anderson said a single lightning strike was the cause for the fire that was contained to the attic of the house, causing about $100,000 worth of damage. He said it was likely the house would need a new roof, some sheetwork and more from the fire, smoke and water damage.

Crews thought they had the fire under control and left the scene around 2 p.m., only to be called back about 2:40 p.m. due to what appeared to be smoldering embers remaining.

Four of the five fire stations in Maple Grove responded to the initial call, according to Anderson, with about 50 emergency responders on the scene.

Neighbor Renee Schissel was one of several nearby homeowners to see smoke billowing from the house’s roof and call 911.

According to Schissel, she knew one person was home at the time the fire started and she “went running” to the house to notify the youth inside. When police arrived, she said they “went around back” and saw the fire.

The person in the home was injured and unaware of the fire, according to Schissel who temporarily took in the youth and two cats rescued from the house. A third cat was later found.

“I’m a state worker that was laid off and got the call back today,” Schissel said, stating she was organizing in her garage when she saw the smoke billowing from her neighbor's roof.

According to Anderson, it was the second lightning strike in Maple Grove today. The first one happened around 10:30 a.m. this morning on the 13600 block of 63rd Avenue. He said lighting hit a tree and traveled through an underground dog fence, into the house and tripped the breaker.