Ashton-under-Lyne lightning strike sparks fire in home

A lightning strike which sparked a fire in the roof of a house, prompting the evacuation of nearby homes, was caught on a neighbour's CCTV.

The blaze started in the terraced house in Store Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, on Friday morning, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said.

Neighbours were asked to leave their homes as a precaution as crews worked to prevent the fire spreading.

Firefighters then stayed in the street to clean up debris and check safety.

No-one was hurt but several tiles from the roof were blown off, a fire service spokesman said.

The area's Labour MP Angela Rayner tweeted that her thoughts were "with everyone affected by this shocking incident in my constituency this morning".

"Investigations into how the fire started are ongoing," she added.

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