NATCHEZ &045; A house fire apparently caused by a lightning strike caused the death of an elderly woman on Sedgefield Road Thursday morning.

Minnie J. Adams, 83, of 72 Sedgefield Road, was bedridden and could not get out of the house, which was destroyed, according to Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports.

Adams’ husband, whose name and age were not available, managing to make it out of the house.

&uot;It was totally engulfed when we got there,&uot; Fire Chief Paul Johnson said Thursday night.

At that point, &uot;there was little we could do.&uot;

A neighbor called 911 just after 10 a.m. to report that Adams’ house was on fire, Johnson said.

Adams’ son, who lives in a trailer near the house, told fire officials lightning struck the house during Thursday morning’s thunderstorms.

It took 11 firefighters from the Natchez Fire Department and the Foster Mound Volunteer Fire Department about 45 minutes to get the blaze under control, fire officials said.

&uot;When a house is made of that old pine, it goes up (in flames) pretty quick,&uot; Johnson said.

An Sheriff’s Office investigation into the blaze was continuing as of late Thursday afternoon.