CAMDEN — Sometimes, lightning strikes don’t leave entry marks. However, the lightning bolt that struck a house in Camden Thursday afternoon, April 27, left little doubt.

In the midst of a thunderstorm with sleet and heavy rain that darkened skies around the Camden Hills and accumulated a higher level of measurable ice pellets on the ground in Lincolnville, the occupants of 5 Hoffses Drive were able to evacuate safely and call 911 to report smoke filling an upstairs bedroom.

That call set into motion the mutual aid fire departments of Camden, Rockport, Lincolnville, and Hope.

Half an hour after the 4:05 p.m. alarm, smoke could be seen from the staging area on Route 105 (next to a fire hydrant) wafting from the roof despite the heavy rain that continued to fall in the area. At the scene, firefighters exited the two-story single-family home covered with the home’s insulation fibers, which blew inward due to the strike, according to Camden Fire Chief Chris Farley. Because smoke filled the entire top floor of the house, fire department fans were employed for ventilation.

By 5:30 p.m., mutual aid units were traveling back to their home stations to wash and clean their hoses. Half an hour later, Camden firefighters followed suit.