By JEFFREY HASTINGS

MANCHESTER, NH – Manchester and several towns were under tornado watches and warnings when lightning struck on the west side and caused a house fire.

Manchester Fire was dispatched to 370 Boynton St. Sunday for a report of a house struck by lightning with smoke coming from the attic.

Firefighters arrived at the scene just after 6 p.m. and had smoke showing from the eaves of the house and stretched hose lines and set up ladder trucks.

Crews made entry into the house and found no one was home, and the fire appeared to be confined to the attic. Holes were cut to ventilate the fire and smoke while other firefighters worked to check the entire house.

A fire in a second floor closet was located and extinguished quickly. The fire was brought under control in about 20 minutes and remained at 1-alarm.

MFD Battalion Chief Kenneth Proulx said it appears lightning struck a neighbor’s 50 foot oak tree and jumped to the front of the house. Damage on the second floor eaves indicates where it entered the house and burn marks in the back of the house appears to be where the lightning exited.

Damage was estimated at $50,000.

The tree to the right of the house had significant damage with bark and wood scattered on the lawn.

Proulx said there were several small fires in the attic that crews extinguished. 

No civilians or firefighters were injured. Eversource disconnected the power to the house which will need repairs before the occupants can return.