CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Four people and their pet have been forced from their home after it caught fire because of a suspected lightning strike.
According to a spokesperson for the Chesapeake Fire Department, firefighters responded at around 5 p.m. to a report of a residential fire on Martin Johnson Road in the Deep Creek section of the city. The homeowner had called to report a lightning strike and a fire at their residence.
The homeowner and family had gotten out of the home safely before the fire department arrived. Once they were on the scene, firefighters were able to put out the fire fairly quickly.
The spokesperson said that damage to the interior of the home is "significant." Because of this, the family -- three adults, a child, and a pet -- will have to stay somewhere else until it can be repaired. The Red Cross will be helping them.
No injuries were reported.