Lightning blamed for Wauconda area home fire Thursday

Lightning is being blamed for sparking a fire that caused $150,000 in damage to a Wauconda area home Thursday morning, officials said.

Officials said in a news release that lightning struck the home in the 28000 block of Winding Lane about 8:24 a.m. Thursday morning.

A neighbor saw the lightning strike, and contacted the Wauconda Fire Department. Fire crews arrived within minutes and found the fire spreading to the kitchen and second floor of the home.

Officials said the fire was extinguished within 15 minutes of the arrival of the first engine.

No one was home at the time of the lightning strike, officials said, and no one was injured in the blaze.

Officials said six dogs were home when the house was struck, but that five of the dogs left the house before firefighters arrived on the scene. The sixth was rescued by fire fighters.

The home was left uninhabitable, officials said, and neighbors and local agencies were called in to assist the family.