Apparent lightning strike damages northern Minnesota home

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Photo of house struck by lightning. (Credit: Cloquet Area Fire District) (Supplied)

CLOQUET, Minn. (FOX 9) - A suspected lightning strike caused significant damage to a house in Cloquet, Minn., on Thursday.

House damaged by suspected lightning

The Cloquet Area Fire District said crews responded to reports of a lightning strike and smoke reportedly inside a home on Washington Avenue in Cloquet, located approximately 20 miles west of Duluth.

When crews arrived, they found extensive damage to the inside and outside of the structure, as well as in the yard. Crews worked to ventilate the home and clear any lingering smoke.

The Cloquet Area Fire District said the damage was likely due to a lightning strike. Photos shared by the CAFD show what appears to be scattered siding on the ground near the house and damage to a tree.

The residents and their two dogs safely evacuated the home, and no injuries were reported, according to a press release.

The incident remains under investigation.

Suspected lightning strikes damage other buildings

WATCH: Steeple on fire after being struck by lighting

A church steeple caught fire after it was struck by lighting in St. Paul.

Lightning from storms on Thursday also caused damage to several structures in the Twin Cities metro area.

In St. Paul, a church steeple caught on fire after a suspected lightning strike. After the fire was put out, authorities determined the steeple was structurally unstable and closed nearby streets and sidewalks until the assessment of the structure was finished.

Meanwhile, in Shakopee, a lightning strike may have sparked a fire on the Renaissance Festival grounds which left several structures completely destroyed. Renaissance Festival organizers say they plan to rebuild and still open in August.