Intense drone video shows house destroyed in fire officials believe sparked by lightning

By Lisa Crane

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    GARDENDALE, Alabama (WVTM) — Tuesday night’s storm brought lightning that is thought to have sparked a destructive fire in Gardendale, officials say.

Officials said one house is completely destroyed.

The fire broke out at the height of the storm around 9 p.m. on Tuesday. Sadly, that was about the same time Gardendale city leaders believe lightning hit the police department.

That knocked out their power and damaged backup generators, so 911 calls had trouble getting through.

Fultondale firefighters responded with Gardendale firefighters to a house in Gardendale that went up in flames. Chief Justin McKenzie said they called other departments in to help as well.

“We actually called for a couple of others. But because of the storm, the other departments that typically help us were tied up on tree calls or medical calls and other things that were going on, like wrecks, because the storm caused a lot of issues at one time,” McKenzie said.

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