Historic building catches fire after struck by lightning

BOURBON COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) - On Saturday alone, lightning struck three different buildings in Bourbon County including the public library downtown.

Built in the early 1900s, the public library in Paris a staple in the city and unfortunately it was struck by lightning around 6:00 Saturday night, causing it to catch on fire.

When firefighters arrived, there were flames and smoke coming through the roof of the structure.

Firefighters say the fire started in the attic, making it difficult for crews to reach since the area was surrounded by inches of insulation and plastic wrap.

Thankfully, the library's collection of books and computers had been temporarily moved since the library is currently undergoing renovation.

"It was in the remodeling phase so there was already a lot of damage done to it already. We were just trying to save the exterior of the structure because that part will still be the main part of the library when renovation is done," said Paris Fire Department Battalion Chief Michael Duffy.

Paris City Manager John Plummer says because of the fire, there's a high probability that the entire roof will have to be replaced.

No one was hurt in the fire and construction crews weren't inside when the lightning struck.

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Historic building catches fire after struck by lightning