A bolt of lightning touched off a significant house fire just before 2 p.m. Friday in the Wood Creek subdivision just south of Peachtree City, officials said.

Fayette County fire crews were assisted by Fayetteville firefighters in dousing the blaze through the middle of an intense lightning storm.

As the crews worked to control the flames, multiple lightning strikes crackled nearby.

The family had evacuated the structure by the time the first fire crew arrived.

The fire was initially reported at 1:50 p.m. when the homeowner heard a loud noise at the rear of the home and then found smoke, said Capt. Pete Nelms of the Fayette County Department of Fire and Emergency Services. It took 12 minutes for the first engine to get on the scene, but that was due to the weather, Nelms said.

Three firefighters suffered minor injuries during the blaze, Nelms said.

The American Red Cross responded to assist the family, but the family made other arrangements, Nelms noted. The family also received an outpouring of support from friends and neighbors, Nelms added.

While crews worked the fire, another lightning strike was reported nearby at the Highgrove subdivision, but there was relatively minor damage there, Nelms said.

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