Lightning Cause of New Baltimore House Fire

New Baltimore fire officials said Friday that lightning was the cause of .

It's believed the fire started in the attic around 2 p.m. at the spacious brick house on Danielle Street in the 25 Mile and Ridge Road area in the Hidden Ridge subdivision. Since the fire ignited in an enclosed space, the fire wasn't immediately visible, New Baltimore Fire Deputy Chief Brian Bilinski said.

By 3:12 p.m., neighbors alerted the fire department to the second-alarm blaze that drew city firefighters as well as crews from New Haven and Chesterfield, Lenox and Ira townships.

Before firefighters arrived, however, quick-thinking neighbors who saw smoke got a 95-year-old woman out of the home, New Baltimore Fire Chief Ken Lawfield said.

The woman is the mother of the home owner. She was not injured, Lawfield said.

"Homes can be rebuilt, lives can't," Bilinski said, adding he would like the city to recognize the neighbors for their efforts.

Firefighters worked in the heat for several hours at the scene. They finished fighting the blaze that consumed the entire roof line around 8 p.m. and packed up their gear by around 10 p.m., he said.

There is no official estimated amount of damages at this time, but fire officials believe the house spanning roughly 3,000 square feet, is a total loss.

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