Investigators rule out all causes but lightning in early morning fire

Firefighters responded to a fire at some duplexes in south Columbia early Wednesday. The fire started shortly after 4 a.m. in the 3700 block of Woodrail on the Green.

Crews arrived to find flames coming through the roof of one unit. Wind helped the fire spread, damaging three other units. About 45 minutes in, the fire was upgraded to two alarms.

One firefighter got a minor injury while working to get the fire under control. The fire was out about 90 minutes after the first call went out.

Fire investigators have not determined the exact cause, but they have ruled out everything else besides a lightning strike.

They are now waiting on data from the University of Missouri to see if there was a strike in this area around the time the fire started.

A neighbor told ABC 17 News lightning hit the same building about 3 weeks ago.