As storms blew through North Georgia Monday evening, lightning reportedly struck a tree near a home in Banks County, leading to a house fire.
Crews with Banks County Fire and Emergency Services responded at approximately 6 p.m. Monday to 428 Otis Brown Road after receiving reports of a structure fire. Upon arrival, they found a single-family home with “heavy smoke and fire showing,” Fire Chief Steve Nichols said.
Crews attacked the fire quickly and contained the blaze before it could destroy the home. The structure did receive moderate damage throughout, according to Nichols.
No one was home at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire was weather related, stemming from a lightning strike to a tree in the backyard of the home.
The American Red Cross was reportedly on the scene in order to provide assistance to the impacted family.
This is the second reported fire spawned from Monday’s storms, with the first incident occurring north at an outbuilding in Cornelia.
