Lightning sparks Palatine fire, leaves home uninhabitable

Lightning was to blame for a fire Saturday that caused an estimated $80,000 damage to a Palatine home Saturday afternoon, leaving the residence uninhabitable, authorities said.

No residents or firefighters were injured as a result of the blaze at a two-story home in the 900 block of West Wood Street, according to the Palatine Fire Department.

Firefighters responding to the home at 2:13 p.m. Saturday found smoke and fire coming from the roof of the home. The first fire companies

to arrive pulled a hose line and aggressively attacked the fire from the exterior, while other firefighters stretched a

supply line to a fire hydrant and pulled two hose lines into the building for interior attack, according to the fire department.

Firefighters had to open the ceiling of the second floor to expose the fire, which was determined to be in the attic, the fire department reported. The fire was declared under control at 2:25 p.m.

The fire was fought by 21 firefighters, staffing three engines, two ladder trucks, one rescue squad and two ambulances, which responded to the scene along with a command officer and a fire investigator. Units from the Hoffman Estates Fire Department responded under a mutual aid agreement, but were returned upon arrival as the fire was quickly under control. Palatine Police officers assisted with traffic control.

The severe storms that came through the area Saturday were responsible for numerous other emergency response calls in Palatine, according to the fire department. Among others, these included three responses for transformer fires or wires down, two other houses struck by lightning without fires and three occupied cars stranded in flooded roadways, the department reported.