A home southwest of Lawrence on East 850 Road burns after possibly being struck by lightning about 12:45 p.m. Tuesday. In addition to Kanwaka Township, firefighters from Wakarusa Township, Eudora Township, Willow Springs Township, Lecompton and Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical responded to the fire.

A fire on Tuesday afternoon destroyed a rural Lawrence home southwest of the city.

Sgt. Steve Lewis of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said a neighbor reported the fire about 12:45 p.m. The neighbor reported hearing a lightning strike and saw flames coming from the roof of the home at 1069 East 850 Road. By the time fire crews arrived, the home was already engulfed in flames.

Dan Hardtarfer, chief of the Clinton Township Fire Department, said the home was a total loss. He said crews were still on the scene shortly after 6 p.m. The cause of the fire was still under investigation.

Firefighters from Clinton Township responded to the fire, in addition to Kanwaka Township, Eudora Township, Willow Springs Township, Lecompton and Lawrence Douglas County Fire Medical. They were still working to put out the fire at 3 p.m.

Lewis said there were no injuries and no one was in the home when the fire broke out. Hardtarfer said two cats in the home were still unaccounted for as of 6 p.m.

As firefighters fought the blaze, they heard popping noises, Hardtarfer said, which he suspected were caused by ammunition stored in the home.

The home is southeast of Clinton Lake.