Several East Valley homes damaged by fires

Several homes in the East Valley were damaged by fires on Tuesday night and at least one may have been caused by lightning during storms.

A Chandler home near McQueen and Queen Creek Roads was by a fire. The homeowner says he and his wife were watching the rain outside and a few minutes later after going back inside, the patio was on fire.

The homeowner says he and his wife tried to put out the fire with a garden hose, but the fire was too big.

The Chandler Fire Department says no one was injured in the fire and there is no evidence to confirm that the house fire was caused by a lightning strike.

In Gilbert, firefighters battled a large fire at a two-story home near Elliot and Higley Roads.

All family members made it out safe of the home and the fire.

In Mesa, crews battled a house fire near Guadalupe and Hawes Roads, in the Sunland Village East community. Firefighters say the roof partially collapsed and the fire didn't spread to any other homes.

No one was injured in the fire, which was possibly caused by lightning. Video taken at the scene shows a car was left inside the home when the fire broke out. One neighbor said the couple who usually lives there only during the winter is on their way to Arizona to survey the damage.

The fire happened in a retirement community where many residents are snowbirds. Neighbors who remained said they have never seen anything like this happen in their community.

"You know, that was a tile roof. How did that happen?" said Ellie Ostrom.

"My goodness," said Linda Churda. "How did that fire start anyways?"

Neighbors said they heard the cracking thunder from Tuesday night's storms, and it almost felt like an earthquake.