A lightning strike is suspected of sparking a fire that destroyed a multistory brick home in Hot Springs on Thursday afternoon.
Hot Springs Fire Chief Ed Davis said crews were dispatched to 119 Winding Ridge St. shortly after 12:45 p.m. and spent more than two hours getting the flames under control, the Hot Springs Sentinel-Record reported.
"There was a large amount of smoke coming from the area of the attic and ventilators," Davis said. "The firefighters made an interior attack to try and stop the fire. They did good job of putting the fire out on the structure's right side, but the fire began to build to the center of the structure."
No injuries were reported, but one firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion.
Owner Dragan Vicentic said at the scene that his wife and two sons enjoyed 11 years of living in the home he helped build.
"It was my pride and joy," Vicentic said, choking back tears. "It took two and half years to build it."
He said when he arrived at his home, his neighbor had already called the Hot Springs Fire Department. Vicentic said he believed lightning had struck the roof.
The National Weather Service issued a significant weather advisory for southern and central Garland County until 1 p.m. Thursday. At 12:17 p.m., Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near Hot Springs. "Frequent cloud-to-ground lightning is occurring with this storm," the statement said.
Davis said the fire marshal will make the official call as to whether the fire was due to a lightning strike.
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