Ilsa Minor | Daily Press Escanaba Public Safety responded to a home that had been struck by lighting during a brief storm around 3:30 p.m. Monday. Large amounts of smoke bellowed from the house, located at 512 S. 12th Street, as a crowd of Escanaba residents gathered to watch firefighters work to extinguish the fire in the attic before it could break through the roof. Above, Escanaba Public Safety officers run a hose through the home to reach the attic.

ESCANABA — A lightening strike sparked a fire that damaged an Escanaba home Monday afternoon.

Escanaba Public Safety officers were called to 512 S. 12th Street about 3:30 p.m. after neighbors reported a nearby house was struck by lightening and there was smoke coming from the roof of the home.

The call came as a storm front was moving through the area. Delta County was under a severe thunderstorm warning when the lightening strike occurred, according to the National Weather Service.

Firefighters at the scene quickly called for additional help as they attempted to contain the fire. Ford River Township volunteer firefighters and that department’s pumper were called in to assist effort to battle the fire.

The blaze drew a large crowd of people who watched as firefighters battled the blaze.

A damage estimate has not been determined

Also assisting at the scene were Rampart EMS, the Delta County Sheriff’s Department, the Michigan State Police, Gene’s Towing, the Escanaba City Electric Department, and Ford River Fire and Rescue.