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UPDATE: Lightning sparked structure fire in Missoula's Rattlesnake neighborhood

Posted at 3:31 PM, Aug 15, 2019
and last updated 2019-08-15 20:09:27-04

MISSOULA — There was clearly a ton of lightning in the air Thursday afternoon and one property in the Rattlesnake even had a fire scare.

The Missoula City Fire Department responded to reports of a structure fire at around 3 p.m. just north of the University of Montana PEAS farm on an unnamed road off of Duncan Drive.

When crews arrived they immediately began working on putting out a shed that caught fire with Missoula fire officials confirming that the blaze was sparked by a lightning strike.

A power line was also derailed after the flames from the fire reached it.

The homeowner says she was seeking shelter in her car, reading a book when she heard a loud cracking noise, within five minutes she realized the shed had caught fire and that's when she called it in.

Another nearby homeowner -- who lives about a quarter-mile away -- said she could clearly hear the lightning strike. The fire was fully put out around 4:30 p.m.. No other structures were damaged.

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(first report)

City of Missoula fire crews are on the scene of a structure fire off of Duncan Drive in the Rattlesnake Thursday afternoon.

The structure fire is reported on Teddy Turn. The homeowner tells KPAX that their shed was struck by lightning.

Firefighters have the fire under control. Smoke could be seen across the Missoula valley.

Stay with us for updates on this developing story.