Estimates of up to 30 firefighters from three departments answered a call to a vacant house fire near Roberts Wednesday morning. Melvin, Roberts and Gibson City responded around 4:20 am. to the two-story home at 925 N. Ford County Road 800 East. Melvin Fire Chief Larry Boundy said the structure was fully engulfed. The cause, it’s believed, was from a lightning strike. A tree next to the house showed bark damage and a wooden bench next to the tree burned. Boundy told the Ford County Record an electric line may have followed the lightning hit into the house. No one was injured.

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