SABATTUS – Lightning struck beside an abandoned house Thursday afternoon, starting a fire that destroyed it. There were no injuries.

Fire Chief Robert Scott said the house at 28 Old County Road was a total loss.

“Supposedly there was a couple of strikes,” he said. “They see one strike hit right beside the place,” he said, then some smoke, which disappeared due to the rainstorm moving through the area.

Either the bolt traveled into the house or a second one hit it, Scott said. “We don’t really know.”

The alarm rang at 1:35 p.m., and fire departments from Sabattus, Lewiston, Lisbon, Lisbon Falls, Monmouth and Greene responded.

The house belongs to Gloria and Joseph Delorme, who live next to it. It used to belong to Joseph’s parents. About a half hour before the alarm sounded, Joseph had noticed some sparks outside. He saw them go out, and went back inside.

The next thing he knew, “There was a big ball of fire,” he said.

The house was being used for storage, Gloria said. It held some photos, bikes and bales of hay. The couple feared the fire would spread to the barn, which was full of their belongings.