This photo shows an electrical panel that was struck by lightning at Lake Side Camp Park on July 11, just prior to a fire there. Photos courtesy of Solon Fire Department.

By Judy Reed

A structure fire at Lake Side Camp Park that destroyed a pole barn, burned an RV, damaged a utility truck and melted siding on a home was started by lightning, according to fire investigators.

The fire occurred on July 11 shortly after 1 p.m. at the campground on White Creek Avenue, south of 17 Mile, in Solon Township. Cedar Springs Fire, Algoma Fire, and Kent City Fire provided mutual aid to Solon Fire at the scene.

According to Solon Fire Chief Jeff Drake, Solon Fire worked with the Lake Side Camp Park property insurance carrier licensed investigator Timothy Raha, of Nederveld, and Algoma Fire Chief Troy Guerra to search for a cause and origin of the fire.

“This work involved interviewing the owners, workers, and some guests of the facility,” explained Drake. “The work also involved digging through the burned remains of the building and contents, and investigating the utility connections.”

Drake said that during this process, evidence of a lightning strike was found in an electrical panel near the barn. “The Solon Fire Department will list the cause of this fire as ‘heat-generated from a lightning strike’, which is also the official cause listed by the insurance provider’s investigation,” he stated.

Drake had told the Post two weeks ago that they knew that an electrical storm had moved through the area just prior to the fire, but they weren’t ruling anything out.

The barn, which belonged to park owner Rich Lupico, was used as a maintenance shop.