SUMMIT, NJ — A possible lightning strike sparked a fire at a multi-apartment home in Summit, prompting a second alarm and the evacuation of nine residents and four pets on Thursday night, according to the Summit Fire Department.
At around 6:2o p.m., a resident on Kent Place Boulevard called 911 for a possible lightning strike hitting the home.
Crews arrived within four minutes and found an active fire in the attic before calling for a second alarm.
After searching of all floors in the home, firefighters evacuated nine residents, three cats and one dog.
The fire in the attic was declared under control at around 7:15 p.m.
No injuries were reported among the residents or responding firefighters.
"All of our on-duty personnel were already out on the road responding to several storm-related calls when this one came through," said Summit Fire Chief Brian Harnois. "I want to commend our crews for their quick and thorough efforts to safely evacuate all residents from the building and place the fire under control, as well as all additional responding agencies for their assistance during the incident."
Mutual aid at the scene came from the Millburn and Springfield fire departments, along with the Summit Police Department and the Summit Volunteer First Aid Squad.
Union County Mutual Aid provided station coverage for Summit firefighters during the response.
The Red Cross provided relocation services to the displaced residents.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Union County Fire Investigation Task Force.
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