Eleven families in the city of Veracruz were left with nothing this morning when fire destroyed their homes after a suspected lightning strike.

There were no casualties after lightning reportedly set fire to one house and the blaze spread to 10 more during an electrical storm early this morning.

The houses, built of plastic laminate, wood and cardboard, were located in a neighborhood in the north of the city in what was described as an illegal settlement.

Personnel from the DIF family services agency were on hand this morning to provide aid to the 40 victims.

Civil Protection officials said they had not been able to confirm residents’ reports that the fire was caused by lightning.

It’s been a bad month for lightning strikes in the state.

Two people were killed and four were injured during an electrical storm on a farm in the south of the state on August 10. All six were farmworkers who were taking cover under a makeshift shelter during the storm.

Source: e-veracruz (sp), Excélsior (sp)