Firefighters got a call just after 4 p.m. Sunday that a house had been hit by lightning.
When they arrived, flames were coming out the roof.
None of the three occupants were home initially, said Castle Rock Fire Chief Art Morales, but they arrived just before firefighters and let their puppy, Brittany, out of the garage.
About 20 firefighters worked 30 minutes in rain with lightning overhead to get the blaze under control. It was contained to a second-story bedroom and the attic, with heavy smoke damage.
No one was injured, and damage was estimated at $125,000.
Meteorologist Marty Coniglio of 9News explained that a front from the south moved into Colorado, bringing much-needed moisture.
Scattered thunderstorms Sunday over Denver and the Eastern Plains produced locally heavy rain, with some flash flooding and hail.
Gun Club Road in Aurora was closed for several hours between East Alameda and East Mississippi avenues because there was standing water 3 feet deep.
Radar estimates suggested 5 inches of rain fell in parts of eastern Douglas County and western Elbert County within about two hours Sunday afternoon, but actual reports were lower, according to the National Weather Service.
Still, drivers from Franktown to Parker encountered inundated roads.
Near Kiowa in Elbert County, 2 1/2 inches of rain fell in less than two hours. North of Akron, almost 2 inches fell in a little over an hour, and south of Fleming in northeast Colorado, 1.1 inches fell within 45 minutes.
The storms were expected to end late Sunday.
