Lightning struck a Westminster home early this morning, as heavy rains caused havoc across the metro area.
The fire, in the 9700 block of Newland Court, caused an estimated $250,000 in damage before it could be extinguished.
A woman living there said lightning struck near her house around 1:30 a.m., causing a brief power outage. She found no damage in the house, so she reset her clocks and went back to bed.
About two hours later, she awoke to a crackling sound and smelled smoke. She called 911 and left the house.
A fire had started in the home and eventually burned the entire roof. Firefighters said they saw flames shooting from the roof as they arrived. Two aerial trucks were used, and crews put the fire out in about 25 minutes.
Xcel spokeswoman Ethnie Groves said the heavy rain caused a power transformer on a pole near West Colfax Avenue and Bryant Street to catch fire this morning. That lead to a power outage in north Denver, between Colfax and 33rd Avenues from Interstate 25 west to Fox Street. Another problem with a wet transformer developed near Exposition Avenue and Broadway, sporadically affecting power in the Washington Park area.
Emergency personnel, including Denver police traffic operations, reported some problems with their dispatching equipment. Numerous traffic lights were out temporarily.
Another 400 residences and businesses were affected by small, single-pole, single-transformer outages throughout the city, Groves said.
About 3,000 Aurora residents lost power during the night in an area bounded by Alameda and Florida avenues and South Havana and Yosemite.
Crews are working to restore power.
Denver fire crews extinguished a small kitchen fire in a home near 16th Avenue and Elm Street. No injuries were reported, and the cause is being investigated.
Staff writer Mike McPhee can be reached at mmcphee@denverpost.com or by calling 303-954-1409.
