SHREVEPORT, La. -- Lightning gets the blame for a house fire Wednesday afternoon in the Southern Trace subdivision.

A strong thunderstorm was moving through the area around 1:30 p.m. when Shreveport firefighters responded to smoke and flames coming from a house in the 100 block of Longfellow Trace. A resident in the area told KTBS he was jolted by a lightning strike, and while checking out his yard for any damage saw black smoke coming from the house a few streets away.

Two dozen SFD units initially responded. Over an hour later, about a dozen remained on the scene.

Reporter Madison Edwards said neighbors were already at work trying to assist the homeowners who were not at home when the fire broke out.

KTBS will have more on the fire as it develops.

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