Neighbors Alert Sleeping Couple After Lightning Sparks Late-Night Fire

Lightning from a late-night storm sparked a roof fire early Thursday in the 24000 block of Ganton Court in Naperville, according to the .

No one was hurt in the fire, thanks to neighbors who alerted the sleeping homeowners, Deputy Fire Chief Jon Stratton said.

Firefighters who responded to the call at 1:35 a.m. were able to contain damage to the roof and attic areas of the home, which has a Naperville mailing address but is served by the Plainfield Fire Protection District.

Stratton said a husband and wife were sleeping in the home, unaware of the fire until neighbors woke them.

“The smoke alarm didn’t go off until we opened up the roof,” Stratton said, adding lightning blew a three-by-three-foot hole in the roof. “This was burning for a while."

Stratton put the value of the home at $480,000, estimating damage at $150,000.

While firefighters were able to contain most of the damage to the attic area and keep electricity going, Stratton said the homeowners may have to vacate the house until repairs are completed. He said the couple was working with their insurance company.