Fire fighters pull up to the scene of a fire on Jefferson Lane in Cranberry Township, where a lightning bolt struck a home Sunday afternoon.

CRANBERRY TWP — Although the rolling thunderstorms created constant noise throughout the region Sunday afternoon, it was obvious to Ann Rice when a bolt of lightning struck something nearby her house at around 4:30 p.m.

She went outside to find a neighbor's house on the 200 block of Jefferson Lane going up in flames. She called 911 to find that several other people already were reporting it, and the community support didn't end there.

No one was home at the time of the fire, and no one was injured.

The home was destroyed, according to Assistant Chief John Pristas, of the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company.

“It was fully involved when we got here,” Pristas said. “When the first crews pulled up they could feel the heat coming off the house.”

“You had all these perfect strangers running around trying to help,” Rice said. “Then the fire department got here, and it was the most amazing orchestra of all time.”

Even though the fire departments were being showered with rain as they were fighting the fire, it ended up destroying the house in about an hour. The owners of the home were away during the fire, and although there were reports that a dog was in the house, Cranberry Volunteer Fire Company assistant chief John Pristas said the dog was also with the home owners.

Pristas also said the rain didn't do much to help extinguish the fire, and crews used a fully extended ladder on a truck to spray water onto the house.

In addition to Cranberry, Adams Area Fire District, Harmony Fire District, Big Knob Volunteer Fire District and Callery Volunteer Fire Company responded to the scene. Pristas said a few more departments would have responded as well, but several were out responding to other calls relating to damages from the severe thunderstorms.

Residents of Jefferson Lane said they had not yet seen a fire in the neighborhood, because it is only a few years old. Rice said the image of the firefighters at work will forever remain in her brain.

“There were lightning bolts coming down from all directions as they were fighting the fire but they weren't phased,” Rice said. “I'm so in awe.”