Saugus firefighters battle blaze sparked by lightning strike

SAUGUS – Fire officials said a family was displaced after lightning sparked a fire in the attic of their Grandview Avenue home. But officials were thankful the blaze did not cause further damage.”The guys did a great job actually holding it; it was a big stop,” Saugus Fire Chief Don McQuaid said Tuesday.Firefighters responded at 6:20 p.m. Monday to 43 Grandview Ave. after a neighbor reported smoke coming from the eaves of the home, McQuaid reported.He said the fire started when lightning struck the peak of the roof and material between the roof and the interior ceiling of the home began to burn.The fire went to a second alarm five minutes later, and a Malden ladder truck also responded to the scene, according to the Saugus Police log.McQuaid said the residents of the home were away at the time, so firefighters forced in the front door and brought handlines up to a bedroom on the second floor of the home.”It had a high ceiling, making it a difficult area to work in, because there was a lot of smoke that filled up the room,” McQuaid said.Two engines from Malden and a Lynn engine were also called to the scene, McQuaid reported, while crews from Everett and Wakefield covered Saugus stations.He reported that handlines doused the flames from below while a ladder truck poured water from above. The fire was reported knocked down at 7:09 p.m.Three Saugus firefighters reported minor injuries, including dehydration and strains and sprains, but remained on scene, McQuaid said. The homeowners arrived at the scene during the blaze and were not able to return to the home, he added.McQuaid said crews determined the blaze was caused by a lightning strike from the intense thunderstorms passing through the region, and firefighters checked neighboring homes but found no other signs of lightning strikes.He praised Capt. Thomas Nolan and the other fire companies who responded to keep the blaze contained.”Nolan did a great job, all the companies worked together as a team, and it worked out well,” McQuaid said.