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Updated: Severe lightning storm is possible cause of damaging fire

A major storm moved through the Southeastern part of Saskatchewan on Wednesday evening and into the morning Thursday, with heavy rain, some hail and damaging lightning.

A major storm moved through the Southeastern part of Saskatchewan on Wednesday evening and into the morning Thursday, with heavy rain, some hail and damaging lightning.

A residential structure in south Carlyle was severely damaged by a fire, likely caused by a lightning strike. A detached building was part of a residential home on Anderson Place that contained a large garage and upstairs suite is most likely a total loss. 

The alarm came in shortly after 5 a.m. and likely had been burning for a while before Carlyle and R. M. No. 63 Fire and Rescue got the alarm and arrived on the scene. There were no occupants in the overhead suite at the time and the homeowner who was home asleep was unaware of the blaze when fire and rescue arrived. 

The storm was still in the area as the 10 firefighters battled the blaze bringing it under control. Two vehicles were removed from the burning structure and no damage was caused to the primary residence.

The fire department had the fire under control around 9 a.m. and had all hot spots extinguished shortly after 1 p.m. No injuries or loss of life occurred as a result of the fire.

Severe lightning heavy rain, and some hail was reported in the nearby lake resorts and communities, with golf ball sized hail reported in the vicinity of Alida causing damage to crops and gardens. Severe storm warnings had been issued on Wednesday for the area of the impending storm.