Lightning sparks house fire in Tiverton

TIVERTON — A lightning strike likely caused a fire that broke out in a home on Winnisimet Drive Monday night, according to a fire official.

Tiverton Fire Chief Joseph Mollo said the Tiverton Fire Department responded to a report of a working fire at a home at 123 Winnisimet Drive about 10:11 p.m.

Firefighters saw smoke pouring out of the basement and the first floor of the two-story, wood-framed home, said Mollo. A Narragansett Fire Department engine was called to assist the response.

After entering the home, firefighters found flames licking the stairwell and spreading inside the walls. They opened up the walls and put the flames down in about 10 minutes, according to Mollo.

In an investigation, Tiverton Fire Marshal Tom Mello determined the home, which had residential solar panels installed on its roof, had been struck by lighting during the evening storm that lit up SouthCoast skies, according to Mollo.

“It struck the outside of the building,” said Mollo. “The home had a solar system and it looked like that may have somehow drawn the lighting.”

The home's owner told The Herald News that the house's roof, made from metal, could have also played a part in the fire. He said the lightning likely traveled down one of the house's metal drainpipes before making contact with the manifold for the building's propane supply. A scorch mark could be seen outside the house between the drainpipe and manifold. The home owner said the fire started in the basement, just on the other side of the wall from the scorch mark.

No residents or pets were injured, according to Mollo, who said the fire caused damage to the home’s electrical system.

The evening storms may be responsible for another Rhode Island house fire. According to Patch Rhode Island, the Flintstone Road house in Narragansett caught fire around 9:45 p.m. Monday.

Email Amanda Burke at aburke@heraldnews.com.