More than 100 firefighters battle four-alarm blaze in North Dallas

More than 100 Dallas Fire-Rescue firefighters battled a four-alarm house fire June 19, Friday, after a lightning strike ignited a large three-story home in North Dallas, forcing crews to evacuate the structure as conditions rapidly deteriorated.

Firefighters were dispatched at 9:08 a.m. to a residence in the 20 block of Ash Bluff Lane after reports of a structure fire.

When crews arrived, they found smoke coming from attic windows. Because of the home's size and the fire's location in the attic, incident commanders quickly requested a second alarm to bring additional personnel to the scene.

Three people were inside the home when the fire started but safely evacuated before firefighters entered the structure. No injuries were reported.

Despite aggressive firefighting efforts, the blaze intensified, with flames breaking through the roof. As conditions became increasingly dangerous, commanders ordered all crews to leave the building and transition to a defensive firefighting strategy from outside the home.

Additional resources were requested as the fire continued to grow, prompting third- and fourth-alarm responses. More than 100 firefighters ultimately worked to contain the blaze.

By shortly after 1 p.m., firefighters had knocked down the bulk of the fire. However, Dallas Fire-Rescue said the home suffered extensive damage, including the collapse of a large portion of the roof.

Fire crews remained at the scene overnight, rotating personnel to extinguish lingering hot spots and monitor the damaged structure. Officials declared the incident terminated at 6:03 a.m. Saturday.

Dallas Fire-Rescue investigators determined the fire was a natural fire caused by a lightning strike.

The blaze occurred as strong thunderstorms moved across North Texas, where firefighters responded to multiple residential fires believed to have been sparked by lightning during the severe weather.

Officials have not yet provided an estimated dollar amount for the damage. The home is considered heavily damaged, and the investigation has been closed after confirming the lightning strike as the cause.