House fires caused by lightning strike multiple North Texas cities during morning storms

DALLAS - Lightning is likely to blame for several house fires in North Texas on Friday morning.

Fires were reported in Frisco, Plano, Allen, and Dallas as storms were moving through the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex around 9 a.m.

Frisco

The Frisco Fire Department confirmed it responded to a 1-alarm fire at a single-family home on Possum Kingdom Drive. The house was severely damaged, but no one was injured.

Viewer Gabrielle Laredo said he saw a strike of lightning hit the home near Panther Creek Parkway and the Dallas North Tollway. He shared video of flames later tearing through the home’s roof.

Plano

Plano Fire-Rescue is investigating lightning as the possible cause of at least five fires in the city on Friday morning. 

One of those fires was on Gull Lake Drive. The house was unoccupied, and no one was injured, but the flames damaged the home’s attic and roof.

"Somebody banged on our door and I went to the door and it was a lady who had been walking her dog and she said I think the house next door is on fire. And I came out and there was smoke coming out of the roof at that stage, no flames," said Paul Ditto.

He called 911. By the time firefighters arrived a few minutes later, he said the flames were shooting through the roof. Thankfully, they contained it before it spread too far.

"They made an aggressive interior attack in the attic and got the fire under control quickly," said Jaime Reyes, Plano Fire-Rescue's operations chief.

Allen

In Allen, a firefighter was injured while fighting a fire in the attic of a two-story home on Morrow Lane. 

He reportedly fell through the ceiling while fighting the flames and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. He was taken to the hospital for treatment and an evaluation.

Everyone else made it out of the house safely.

While the fire marshal is still working to determine the cause of the fire, it is presumed to have been caused by lightning.

Dallas

And in North Dallas, a large fire was reported in the attic of a three-story home on Ash Bluff Lane. 

Dallas Fire-Rescue issued four alarms, which meant more than 100 firefighters were called in to battle the blaze.

Neighbors described what they heard.

"We were in the kitchen sitting at the table, and it just lit up the house," said Cheryl Coke. "We knew it hit some place very close because it was such a loud crack."

Coke and her husband, Steve, briefly spoke to the homeowner. They said he was still in shock about what had happened.

No injuries were reported.

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