MCKENZIE - Many of the 50-some people who live in McKenzie thought lightning from an electrical storm early Wednesday caused a fire that claimed a historical, three-story home on the outskirts of town.

But authorities believe the fire was one in a string of seven arson fires within a 15-mile area of Burleigh County, burning four hay stacks and three structures between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. Wednesday.

Burleigh County Deputy Sheriff Pat Heinert said an accelerant was found at one of the fires, and all appear to be the work of arsonists.

Edna Buntz, who lives in a mobile home across the street from the McKenzie house, said she was awakened by a "boom" that she knew wasn't thunder.

"When I looked out I saw flames, then the house fell to the ground and burned and burned," she said. "It went up so fast."

The three-story house was known by McKenzie residents as the "Watson house." Mitzy Johnson, who lives four houses down, said it was an elaborate house built by the homestead family more than a century ago.

"It was tough seeing that go," Johnson said. "It was one of the historical places."

Buntz said ownership of the home changed hands more than 10 times, and the last family to live in the home moved out five years ago. None of the residents were certain who currently owns the house.

"This is terrible. It was a huge house," Buntz said. "I've been in it many times and it had beautiful, hand-crafted wood."

Buntz and Johnson were two of many townspeople who gathered to watch firefighters try to stop the blaze, but the house couldn't be saved. When the sun came up Wednesday, all that remained of the house was a pit of ash, scorched stones and cinderblocks. Surrounding the crumbled foundation was a 15-foot perimeter of burned grass, singed bushes and trees, a scorched Blazer and an outhouse.

Bismarck and Sterling rural fire departments responded to fires at six additional locations early Wednesday morning:

* An abandoned farm building three miles north of Bismarck on Highway 1804.

* Two round hay bales four miles north of Bismarck on Highway 1804.

* Two round hay bales two miles east of Menoken on Highway 10.

* Five square bales east of Menoken on Highway 10.

* An abandoned farm building three miles north of McKenzie.

* Fifty to 60 square hay bales five miles northwest of Sterling.

Bismarck Rural Fire Department Chief Rod Hochhalter said crews were spread out across the county fighting the fires. Firefighters would begin to fight a blaze and notice flames from another in the distance. Bismarck rural firefighters initially responded to the abandoned farm building north of McKenzie, but let the Sterling fire department take over operations because it was in the Sterling fire district.

"My equipment was a lot closer than Sterling's so we responded," Hochhalter said. "We only got involved because we saw it and thought lives were threatened."

All the fires were contained at their initial source, which Hochhalter said was extremely lucky considering the dry conditions. Despite the rainfall, the plant life has not held a high moisture level, so had the night dew not slowed the flames they could have spread like gasoline, he said.

"Any type of fire is dangerous especially at that time of night," Hochhalter said. "It could have very easily turned into something larger than it was."

The Burleigh County Sheriff's Department is leading the investigation with assistance from the fire departments. They are currently looking for witnesses who may have seen suspicious vehicles in the area during the times of the fire. The estimated damage of the fires has not been determined.

(Contact the Burleigh County Sheriff's Department at 222-6651 with any information. Reach reporter Mike Albrecht at 250-8261 or cops@ndonline.com.)