UPDATED: Lightning Starts Two Oakdale Fires
The Oakdale Fire Department said that lightning caused a house fire, and a separate garage fire, on Saturday.
Photos
An Oakdale home and garage were both struck by lightning on Saturday, according to Oakdale Police Department reports.
Lightning struck the roof of a house at 2675 Hillvale Trail N. Saturday afternoon, starting a fire in the home, said Oakdale Fire Chief Jeff Anderson.
The home’s occupants were out of town, he said, and no one was injured.
A neighbor called at 3:20 p.m. to report that smoke was coming from the home's upper eaves, according to a police report. When firefighters got to the home, flames were visible from the attic.
As Oakdale and Maplewood fire crews battled the blaze, it wasn’t clear how bad the damage was, Anderson said.
Another report came in at about 6 p.m. of a garage fire at 4514 Helmo Place. A resident at the home said he was in his basement when he looked outside and saw smoke coming from his detached garage.
The Oakdale Fire Department put the fire out and determined that lightning had struck the garage roof, starting the fire.
Patty Busse
6:53 pm on Saturday, May 5, 2012
For more photos, check out the story on Twin Cities Fire Wire: http://twincitiesfirewire.com/2012/05/05/fire-erupts-in-attic-of-oakdale-home/.
Caleb Brunz
3:02 am on Sunday, May 6, 2012
We are thankful for neighbors who responded fast and called 911. What a great community of people who are looking out for each other. The oakdale fire department did a great job of responding to the fire and containing and estinquishing the blaze to minimize the structural damage. We are blessed to live and work in such a great community!