USA, North Carolina, Mount Pleasant: A severe storm in South Carolina left thousands without power after lightning struck a transformer, creating a fireball and explosion as traffic passed nearby.
The strike, caught on a Mount Pleasant Police Department dashcam, happened during heavy rain on 11 August. In the video, lightning hits the transformer on one side of the road, instantly igniting it, while a powerline on the opposite side also bursts into flames.
“A bit too much excitement for a Monday!” police wrote on social media. “The lightning strike caused our power outages and traffic delays. Fortunately, no one was injured, and Dominion Energy responded quickly, restoring power and removing the downed wires.”
Vehicles can be seen driving past as the transformer erupts in sparks and flames. Police said the incident was one of several caused by the storm, which damaged power lines in multiple parts of the southeastern United States.
The extreme weather came as Storm Erin continued to strengthen over the Atlantic, with forecasts suggesting it could become the first hurricane of 2025 to make landfall in the continental US.
Officials urged residents to stay indoors during lightning activity and to avoid downed power lines, which can remain dangerous even after the storm has passed.
Source: The Economic Times
