(KNOX) –Two house fires in East Grand Forks were reported Monday morning. Lighting strikes are being described as the cause of the fires, and both fires happened on opposite sides of town.
No one was hurt at either location, but both homes have suffered significant damage. East Grand Forks Fire Department Interim Fire Chief Paul Hansen says one of the houses is no longer livable.
The lightning was caused by heavy storms that were in the area Monday morning.
East Grand Forks firefighters received the first call at 7:23 a.m. from First Avenue Northeast, and another call came minutes later from Rhinehart Drive Southeast.
The Grand Forks Fire Department helped with the responses, as both cities have a mutual aid agreement.
One home on First Avenue Northeast is a story-and-a-half building. Hansen says the upstairs portion of the home is considered to be a total loss as it has significant damage to its second floor. The first floor has smoke and water damage, as firefighters had to cut holes on each side of the roof in order to cover it with tarps.
The other home that is on Rhinehart Drive Southeast had the roof caught fire and collapsed in on itself. It is considered a total loss.
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