Tahlequah Fire responds to house fire caused by lightning | News

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — FOX23 is discovering new details about a home that caught fire after a lightning strike Monday afternoon.

Tahlequah Fire Chief Casey Baker said in his opinion these fires are among the most dangerous types of structure fires.

Children were pulled from a house that caught fire during a storm Monday afternoon.

“The house was full of smoke and at that point they took the kids out of the house and contacted us,” Baker said.

Baker said he received the call around 1 p.m. to assist the Woodall Fire Department at a home near Route 460 and Wisley Lane.

He believes the fire was caused by lightning striking the house.

Lightning struck the peak of the roof and you could see a charred mess next to the ceiling insulation.

A tarpaulin now covers the damaged part of the roof.

“It happens, it’s not often, but it happens. I would say we probably have one or two a year,” Baker said when asked how common it is for a lightning strike to cause a fire.

Baker said fires caused by lightning can be difficult to fight.

“They're a little more difficult because usually it's in the attic, so we have to access the attic. If you probably talk to a firefighter, the worst kind of fire is usually trying to locate the fire in the attic,” Baker said.

Even though the house is still standing and Baker said they were able to respond quickly, he said it could have been very serious if they hadn't detected it sooner.

Baker said although they believe lightning caused the fire, it is still under investigation.