Lightning Strike Sparked Gainesville Townhouse Fire, Displacing 2

GAINESVILLE, VA — A townhouse in Gainesville caught fire on Monday night when it was struck by lightning, the Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue said.

No injuries were reported from the lightning strike or subsequent fire. The blaze displaced two residents.

Authorities said the fire caused extensive damage to the townhouse that was struck by lightning. A neighboring home sustained water and smoke damage.

The fire began around 7 p.m. on Monday at a townhouse in the 8000 block of Montour Heights Drive in Gainesville. The residents said they smelled smoke and started searching the home, when they found heavy smoke coming from the attic.

When firefighters arrived on the scene, they saw flames emitting from the home and spreading to the adjoining townhouse. First responders were able to quickly extinguish the blaze, authorities said.

An investigation from the fire marshal's office determined that a lightning strike ignited the blaze.