No injuries after lightning strike on roof of Alexandria town house

Published July 11, 2025 at 3:00PM

The Alexandria Fire Department responded to a lightning strike on a two-story townhouse in the 2400 block of N. Dearing Street on Wednesday, July 9, 2025 (via Facebook)

There were no injuries after lightning struck the roof of an Alexandria home on Wednesday night (July 9).

The Alexandria Fire Department was notified at around 6:40 p.m. by the homeowner that the roof of their two-level townhouse was smoking, according to dispatches. Inside, firefighters found and extinguished smoke and fire in the attic.

The Alexandria Fire Department’s union, the International Association of Firefighters Local 2141, confirmed on social media that a lightning strike caused the blaze.

“Crews arrived found smoke and fire in the attic after a lightening strike,” IAFF Local 2141 posted. “Engine 203 worked to extinguish the fire while Truck 208 ventilated the roof.”

A Flash Flood Warning was in effect in Alexandria when the lightning strike occurred.

Image via Facebook

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James Cullum

Reporter James Cullum has spent nearly 20 years covering Northern Virginia. He began working with ALXnow in 2020, and has covered every story under the sun for the publication, from investigative stories to features and photo galleries. His work includes coverage of national and international situations, as well as from the White House, Capitol, Pentagon, Supreme Court and State Department. He's covered protests and riots throughout the U.S. (including the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol), in addition to earthquake-ridden Haiti, Western Sahara in North Africa and war-torn South Sudan. He has photographed presidents and other world leaders, celebrities and famous musicians, and excels under pressure.