No injuries or significant damages reported at this time.
Witnesses say a lightning strike caused electrical outlets in the walls of their homes to catch fire and fill their houses with some smoke.
Athens Fire Department responded to 33 and 35 Longview Heights Rd. at about 10 p.m.
Athens City Fire Chief Bob Rymer said the small interior fire was due to the lightning — reported by witnesses — and blew circuits in each of the households causing separate outlets in the houses to catch on fire inside the walls.
Rymer said the small fires extinguished themselves before they arrived on the scene.
The firefighters turned off the power to determine the damage to the houses.
The electrical damage needs to be determined by an electrician, Rymer said.
"We're lucky (the fire) didn't get any further," Rymer said.
The smoke that filled the homes was described as "light" by officials on scene and the outlet fires quickly extinguished themselves.
No injuries or significant damage were reported.
There are 135 American Electric Power customers without power in Athens County, according to AEP's website.
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