A lightning strike set fire to a hotel in Fairfax County, Virginia, early Tuesday morning, displacing 108 people who were staying there at the time.
According to Fairfax County Fire and Rescue, lightning struck the TownePlace Suites Marriott in the 8600 block of Woodlawn Court — near Mount Vernon — around 1:13 a.m.
When firefighters arrived, flames could be seen spilling out of the roof of the four-story building. Backup was requested.
A person who had been staying in the hotel saw the flames while they were outside the building and reported it to the manager on duty, who called emergency services.
No injuries were reported.
An investigation found that the fire started after the lightning bolt hit the parapet wall on the building’s roof.
Damages are estimated to be around $100,000.
