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A swift but strong thunder and lightning storm swept through the Attleboro area early this morning, sparking a house fire in Seekonk and causing flash flooding and power outages.

The storm hit about 8 a.m., but was pretty much out of the area by 8:30 a.m. Heavy rain continued off and on afterward, however.

In Seekonk, lightning is believed to severed a limb from a tree on Sims Avenue, sending the limb onto a power line to a home at 12 Sims Ave. and ultimately causing a fire, Seekonk Fire Chief Alan Jack said.

The fire chief said the house became “energized”, melting breakers in the electrical panel and causing a surge through outlets in the lower level of a raised ranch house that had a computer and other electrical attached.

The fire destroyed the lower level of the house but firefighters prevented it from spreading to the upper level of the house, Jack said. There was heat and smoke damage to the upper level of the house “It was defiantly storm-related,” Jack said.

A couple and their daughter and pets were able to get out of the house and no one was injured fighting the blaze, the fire chief said.

The house was deemed uninhabitable because of the damage and the family was going to be staying with a relative, Jack said.

The fire chief could not give a dollar estimate of the damage.

Attleboro and Pawtucket firefightrers assisted at the scene.

An electrical charge from a lightning strike just after 8:30 a.m. near a  home at 6 East Hodges Street in Norton ignited lint and dust in a wall near a clothes dryer, but the homeowner put out the fire before firefighters arrived, Fire Chief Richard Gomes said.

In Wrentham, the steeple of the Original Congregational Church downtown across from the town common was reported struck by lightning, and firefighters were investigating.

In North Attleboro, an address on Rosemary Road was reported hit as well.

Houses were reported hit by lightning on Providence Street and another road in Rehoboth.

In Seekonk, Attleboro firefighters helped respond to 12 Sims Ave. for a reported lightning strike and house fire. In Mansfield, lightning struck two homes and a dance school just after 8 a.m..

At Miss Cindy’s School of Dance on East Street near Franklin Street in Mansfield, lightning struck a utility pole across the street. The charge from the lightning went through the wires and caused damage to two electrical circuits, acting fire Lt. John Robbins said.

Lightning also struck houses at 380 Pratt St. and 170 Stearns Ave., both less than a mile from the dance school. Robbins said there was an odor of smoke in both homes but no fire.

Several area roads were flooded and blocked, and firefighters also responded to several reports of building flooding.

Seekonk Police were directing traffic around street flooding at the intersection of Newman and Central avenues and Pine Street.

There were also numerous fire and security alarms sounding off.

The morning storm followed similar but weaker storms Wednesday that saw several lightning strikes but less rain.

Stormy weather is forecast into tonight, with flash flood warnings.