Bang, bang, bang

We went to bed quite early last night, at about 10.30, as I have a busy day today. At about 10.45 we heard some strange sounds like loud pops and bangs. Gunshots? Fireworks? At 1/4 to 11.00? A few minutes later it happened again, minutes later, again. I got up and went outside, nothing, came back inside and it happened again. I went out and waited, after five minutes there was still nothing, but as soon as I came back in it happened again, I went out again and this time waited 10 minutes. Again nothing, until just after I came back in. I never did see any fireworks and never determined what it all was. Back to bed and sleep.
At a quarter to 12.00 I was a woken by an awful, loud wailing sound. Our smoke detectors, we have 5 of them in the house, were all going off together and the sound was deafening. I got up again and toured the house, no sign of any fire or smoke but the detectors continued to wail. I waved a tray under them all, no good, they continued. I had no idea what to do, I was reluctant to take the batteries out of 5 smoke detectors, especially as there could be a fire somewhere and in any case I think that they are on the regular electric too. I had no idea how to turn them off. After about 20 minutes they stopped, although one or two went off on their own for a few seconds. Then they all stopped. Again no idea what set them off. Back to bed and sleep.
At 2.30 we were woken by a tremendous flash of light and an almost simultaneous explosion. Thunder and lightening. The storm continued unabated for . . . about 5 minutes! That was it, about a half dozen flashes and bangs and it was over. Back to sleep.
Now it is time to get up and go to work.