A small village in Germany was struck by disaster when a lightning bolt ignited a major fire that destroyed homes and barns, leaving dozens displaced.

The incident occurred Thursday night in Drognitz, a rural town of around 600 residents, according to local authorities. Witnesses reported a sudden, blinding flash followed by a thunderous explosion as the blaze took hold, local broadcaster MDR Thüringen reported.

Mayor Tom Zimmermann said lightning is believed to be the cause of the fire, which likely struck a barn as a thunderstorm passed over the area. “The barn was immediately engulfed in flames,” Zimmermann told the German Press Agency.

Fire crews responded just after midnight, with up to 150 firefighters working to control the inferno. Despite their efforts, three houses and several barns were reduced to rubble, and the damage has been estimated at around 1 million euros (£867,000).

The fire left 18 residents, ranging in age from 2 to 96, without homes. Disaster relief teams and the mountain rescue unit of the German Red Cross continued battling the flames into Friday morning, highlighting the scale of the destruction.