Staff report
KANNAPOLIS ó Separate lightning strikes sparked fires that damaged a home and a destroyed a barn Thursday evening.
Both fires occurred around 7:30 p.m. when a severe storm passed over the area.
A one-story home at 1528 Summit Ridge Lane, off Little Texas Road, sustained heavy damage.
Kannapolis firefighters arriving at the home found heavy smoke coming from the structure.
Fire crews worked quickly to extinguish the flames and checked for fire in the attic.
Maria F. Bostian, public information officer for the department, said the occupants were at home when the fire occurred, but were able to escape uninjured.
The names of the occupants or homeowner was not immediately available.
The Cabarrus County Chapter of the American Red Cross is assisting the family.
No estimate of the damage was immediately available.
Around the same time, Enochville Fire and Rescue responded to a barn fire at 7447 Tuckaseegee Road, a short distance from the Rowan-Cabarrus county line.
John Jenkins, fire chief, said the barn, which was fully ablaze, was off the road in a wooded area.
Straw or hay stored in the barn fed the flames.
Firefighters got the fire under control in 15 minutes but remained on the scene for nearly three hours to extinguish the remnants.
Atwell and Landis Fire Departments assisted.
Information on who owned the barn was not immediately available.