Lightning strike blamed for Clear Lake house fire

CLEAR LAKE — A lightning strike is being blamed for starting a basement fire in Clear Lake late Sunday night.

The Clear Lake Fire Department says they were called shortly after 11:30 PM to 2213 North Shore Drive for a kitchen stove on fire. On arrival, crews observed smoke inside the residence and quickly determined the fire originated in the basement below the kitchen. Firefighters were on the scene for about two hours, working to extinguish the fire and ventilate smoke from the structure.

An investigation revealed the cause of the fire to be a lightning strike that hit a power pole outside the house. The strike energized the neutral wire and ruptured a gas line in two locations, leading to a fire in the ceiling of the basement in two different locations.

No injuries were reported. Damage to the property was estimated at $300,000.