Lightning strike causes fire at Choate Rosemary Hall

Lightning struck a building on the Choate Rosemary Hall campus, starting a fire, as severe thunderstorms ripped across parts of Connecticut late Monday afternoon and evening.

The lightning appeared to strike the roof of Hill House at 6:20 p.m. during the school’s dinner hour, school spokeswoman Lorraine Connelly said.

Choate Rosemary Hall is a private boarding school serving students from ninth through 12th grades.

All students are safe after the fire, but they were evacuated from Hill House and the three adjoining buildings to the Worthington Johnson Athletic Center, Connelly said.

Battalion Chief Edward Butkus, of the Wallingford Fire Department, said that about 30 Wallingford firefighters responded to the scene.

They received the fire alarm call a few minutes before 6 p.m. Monday.

The blaze “quickly escalated to a working fire,” Butkus said. “There (were) reports of smoke in the building.”

Butkus said the fire was in the attic of the building, making it particularly difficult to access. In addition, Butkus said, the the building is large and has a “heavy” construction and a slate roof.

“It took more time to get at it, to gain access,” Butkus said. “It was more difficult than a residential fire because of the scope of the building.”

The Wallingford Fire Department called for mutual aid to battle the blaze, and engines responded from Meriden, Middletown and North Haven, Butkus said.

Butkus said there were no injuries reported during the incident, although that could have been a different story if the lightning had struck when school was in session.

Connelly said Monday that the school will be in contact with parents about the situation.

“We are monitoring the situation closely and will be sending parents updates as soon as they become available,” Connelly said. “We will provide alternate housing for students in the affected dormitories tonight.”

Zach Murdock can be reached at zmurdock@courant.com.