OPP say roughly 60 homes were evacuated after lightning struck a gas line.

First responders were called to the scene on Kara Lane in Tillsonburg around 3 a.m. on Sunday.

"It sounded like a bomb going off," said resident Luke Gingerich, who saw a tree outside his bedroom go up in flames. "I tried to put it out, but it kept burning and burning and burning. It didn't stop."

Union Gas says a lightning strike severed a gas line and released a large quantity of natural gas into several homes and into the underground sewer lines.

The evacuated residents were brought to the Tillsonburg Community Centre. No injuries were reported.

Around 1 p.m., all residents were allowed to return to their homes as Francis Street, Kara Lane and Peach Street were reopened.

Crews spent the morning going door to door to reactivate the gas that had been turned off for over 100 customers.

On Wednesday night, a car crashed into a London house, hit a gas line, and caused the residence to explode just 60 kilometres away from Tillsonburg.

"We erred on the side of caution," said deputy fire chief Tony Hietkamp. "We evacuated a large area."

Only two of the 126 affected homes will not have their gas turned back on. They will have to wait until Monday for the pipe to be repaired.