By Alan Sorensen
Firefighters responded to reports of two lightning-caused fire in west Havre during a thunderstorm Friday evening.
The reports of a grass and tree fire in the 900 block area of Assiniboine Avenue and at MSU-Northerns Cowan Hall came in nearly simultaneously at 9:15 p.m. Friday.
Four firefighters responded with grass-fire trucks to the grass fire just west of four homes on Assiniboine Avenue. A fifth firefighter and Havre police officer responded to the Cowan Hall report but found no fire.
Havre Fire Chief Craig Ellingson said this morning that the grass and tree fire was evidently ignited when lightning dislodged a power line that fell into the grass. He said personnel were at the scene for about two hours and had the fire out shortly after 11 p.m.
