MOULTONBOROUGH – A lightning strike on a Moultonborough Neck home late Friday night caused a fire and second-floor damage, but the homeowners were able to return to live in their home on Saturday.

Fire crews were called to 2 Twin Meadows Lane at 9:37 p.m. after the home’s owners smelled smoke in the house and their fire alarms went off, according to Deputy Fire Chief Richard Buckler.

When they arrived, firefighters found heavy smoke coming from the second floor of the building, Buckler said. The fire was brought under control within about 45 minutes, he said, but the lightning strike had left lots of hot embers in the attic and roof.

“They brought thermal imaging cameras in and the firefighters had to do significant opening of the ceilings and roof areas,” he said.

Firefighters were on the scene dowsing hot spots in the building until about 2:30 a.m., he said.

Moultonborough firefighters were aided by fire departments from Center Harbor, Sandwich, Meredith, Holderness, Tuftonboro and Ashland.

- - - - - - - -