Center Firefighters say high winds prevented them from being able to get a house fire at 304 Riggs Street under control before the interior of the house was gutted.  Firemen responded to the fire at 7:05 last night and did not leave until after eleven.  Chief Keith Byndham says lightning is the cause of the blaze that started in the attic.  He emphasises that the sole occupant of the home was away at the time. No one was injured.  Seventeen firemen were on hand.

The department has remained busy over the last several hours as a result of the heavy winds that accompanied last nights storm.  Byndham says a tree fell on the road on Highway 96 North a little after nine last night.  The department was also called to a tree falling on Crockett Street.  A limb reportedly fell on a power line causing it to arc in the 1100 block of Ballard Street.

The department responded to a two-vehicle accident on Hurst Street at Roughrider Road just before seven this morning to clean a fuel spill.  

Finally, the department responded to a smoke alarm scare in the 800 block of Rainbow Drive.