EASTERN SHORE, MD - Two separate fires were ignited by lightning at homes in Dorchester and Somerset Counties over the weekend according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal.
According to the Fire Marshal’s office, a lightning strike started the first fire in a Toddville home on July 19 just before 9:45 p.m. Investigators say the fire began in the living room. It took 15 firefighters about 20 minutes to control the flames, according to the Fire Marshal. Total damage to the single-story Dorchester County home and its contents was estimated at $35,000.
The next day, on Sunday, July 20, authorities say lightning struck a home on Kingston Road in Westover just before 5 p.m., causing a fire that began in a rear bedroom. It took 20 firefighters about 20 minutes to control the fire, and damage was estimated at $60,000.
Luckily, no injuries were reported in either fire.