INDIANAPOLIS — Investigators believe lightning is to blame for multiple fires that displaced residents and caused significant damage to buildings Saturday morning in central Indiana.
Brownsburg house fire
Shortly after 7 a.m., Brownsburg Fire Territory crews responded to a house fire in the 700 block of Hummingbird Drive, on the west side of Brownsburg. The family that lives there had working smoke alarms and was able to safely evacuate.
Fire officials said they believe a lightning strike likely sparked the fire, though the exact cause remains under investigation.
Marian University apartment fire
Around 7:45 a.m., Indianapolis Fire Department crews were called to the campus of Marian University for a fire at an apartment building. Firefighters found heavy fire and smoke coming from the two-story building.
After initially entering the building to fight the fire, firefighters were quickly ordered to evacuate and battle the fire from outside.
Crews battled heavy rain and lightning in the area while fighting the fire, which was brought under control in roughly 45 minutes.
Two firefighters suffered minor injuries, IFD said. One injury was heat-related, while another firefighter had ceiling debris fall on his head, knocking him to the ground.
Four Marian University students were displaced by the fire, and apartment management will relocate them, IFD said. One of them was home at the time and woke up to firefighters in the building.
