Lightning is the suspected cause of a building fire at a Columbus business Tuesday afternoon. Capt. Mike Wilson, spokesman for the Columbus Fire Department, says that firefighters were called to Columbus Warehouse & Cartage, Inc. just after 3 o’clock after an employee smelled smoke.

Wilson says that when firefighters arrived, they found light smoke coming from the roof. The crew entered the smoke filled building to find for the origin of the smoke as another crew accessed the roof using the department’s aerial ladder truck. Wilson says the firefighters on top of the building used axes and chainsaws to cut openings in the roof to look for flames. When they did so, they eventually found smoldering insulation, which was extinguished. Authorities say the fire was marked “under control” a short time later.

Investigators say fire damage was isolated to a 20’x20′ section of the roof, while the interior of the building sustained smoke and water damage. Damage to the structure is estimated at $ 10,0000. Damage to contents is estimated at $5,000.

The fire remains under investigation.