Lightening Strikes
By webeishere
@webeishere (36313)
United States
August 27, 2007 12:12pm CST
Okay I am the type of man that does not scare easily. I have been through and also seen a lot in my life. Anyhow about 1:30 a.m. today (Monday) My weather radio alarm went off. Severe storms approaching me with quarter sized hail. I decide to move my car. As I walk out the door in a heavy downpour I open my umbrella. Just as I do....BOOM!!!! There it was. Maybe 100 feet in front of me. Lightening had struck the top of the utility pole. Sparks went flying all over. Well that shook me like I've never been shook before. The power immediately went out as well.I watched the pole litterally burn for a few seconds. I woke the wife and she told me to calm down. I was litterally shaking it had startled me that much. I called 911 reported the strike, fire, and power outage. The FD came telling me to get inside where it's safe. They walked around with their flashlights then left. I watched the pole smolder with hot cinders on the top of it waiting to call 911 if it got too big. The power company arrived about 2 hours after the strike. He was sooo mad that the FD didn't put the smoldering spot out. It wasn't dangerous but that's not the power companies first job. Well anyhow power was finally restored about 9 a.m. That's my scary brush with the power of lightening. Oh and just what we needed here was another 1.75 inches of rain. Uggghhh!! The photo is a shot of the power company putting the fire out. The smokle look is actually the extinquisher being shot onto the hot embers on the pole.
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB!!~
14 people like this
32 responses
@BayleighGray (4334)
• United States
28 Aug 07
I can say from experience I know what you were feeling! In an evening down poor I drove my car into a flooded street, luckily not far from my home. I was trying to push it back, since the water had killed the motor and wouldnt start again but was unable, being Im totally scared of thunder storms to begin with. I decided to hurry to my home where I felt I would be safer and lightening came down and struck the ground less than 100 Ft infront of me. Unfortunately I have been in some pretty scary situations and I must say that being that close to lightening I had never been so scared in all my life. When I finally made it home I was so scared I couldnt even tell my boyfriend what had happened. I was literally speechless.
So happy to hear that you were not hurt at all.
Also, Im in Southern Illinois we could use some of that rain!! haha
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
28 Aug 07
Seems you had your "fun" with Mother Nature as well./ All the hairs on my body stood straight up for a fraction of time as well. Not a good feeling. You drove through floodingh? YIKES! We just had 4 people die when they tried to drive through flooded streets. But the water was from a river and was moving very fast. I stary away from areas of standing water after all the deeaths from flodding here in Minnesota.
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!~
@BayleighGray (4334)
• United States
28 Aug 07
Yeah I did, it was dark and I couldnt really tell that the street I was on was so flooded. The rain that night came down so fast and so hard. And I guess having a little sports car that sat so close to the ground didnt help either! When I opened the door to get out water was seeping up over the door frame. Good we are here to be able to talk about it on myLot!
1 person likes this
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
28 Aug 07
Thanks. And ummmmm, no comments on the shorts. HAHAHA!!!
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!~
@GardenGerty (160978)
• United States
28 Aug 07
I can feel the shock of it, just from you telling it. I would have been suitably impressed. I am glad nothing worse than a power outage occured, and that you did not have a heart attack to go along with it, or a fire, or crashing timbers around your house.
2 people like this
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
28 Aug 07
Oh thanks. HAHAHA!!! I hadn't even thought of a heart attack. Uggg!
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
28 Aug 07
I can imagine the excitement.... after your nerves had clamed down.
I have only once ever seen lightening strike very near me, & that was when I was about nine years old.
I rated your photo & wrote a comment
2 people like this
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
28 Aug 07
tHE MAIN SCARY PART WAS WHEN i HIT THE BUTTON TO OPEN THE UMBRELLA i EXPECTED THE "SWOOSH" SOUND OF THE UMBRELLA BUT INSTAED THE bang boom HAPPENED.
@LittleMel (8742)
• Canada
28 Aug 07
I am scared of lightning too. If I see the signs when I'm outside, I will run for cover for sure. Sparks especially can freak me out real bad, it can also cause fire that's why I'm so scared of it
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
28 Aug 07
There were sparks flying all over too. We had some more severe
weather last night. No damagae here though in my neighborhood.
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!~
@mrsbrian (1949)
• United States
28 Aug 07
wow I saw a light show also last monday here at my house but it didnt end so nicley, we had the lightening and before I could say pow there it went I swear I saw the surg come thru the house. the transformer went and when the lights came back on a few hours after after the electric company came we had a lot of fried appliances , tv, washer frig, printer,no satalite and no internet. lucky we had the computers already down and unplugged but it got the modum anyhow. we had surge proceters on the tv and it didnt help, so we are now in the process of getting things repaired or rebought, thank god for insurance. I dont want anymore of thise storms, even tho i do enjoy the light shows from afar.
2 people like this
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
28 Aug 07
That was the hardest part for me, no mylot. HAHAHAHA!!
@wisconsin26 (3859)
• United States
28 Aug 07
Very scary for sure..But it makes me wonder why they took so long to get out there and put the fire out.. Not that it was burning out of control or anything but wouldn't you think they would want to fix the problem right away? Humm kind of sounds like my power company...lol takes for ever to get to where they are suppose to be.. I'm glad your ok though..
2 people like this
@ladysurvivor (4746)
• Malaysia
28 Aug 07
Wow... your experience is something to be remembered for the rest of your life. Just reading it makes me feel how awful it must be on the day it occurred. I've never seen a lightening strike so near to myself. The nearest strike I saw was about 100 meters too, but at that time I was inside the house. The lightening strike a coconut tree in my house compound and it burned the whole tree. It was scary and I didn't dare to go near the door. We stayed inside until the rain stopped and the lightening was totally gone.
2 people like this
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
28 Aug 07
Oh Yeah I'd be riding the road to Hersey!!!Scare the you know what out of me. Thank You for the photo it's always good to see your photos. You're an awesome picture taker, something I'm no good at. Take care and Stay safe. I'm not usually scared of storms but this was a bit extreme I'd say.
2 people like this
@MaryannaHope (96)
• United States
27 Aug 07
Oh my goodness. How scary that must have been. I absolutely LOVE storms, but I don't think I would want to be quite that close to being hit by lightning!
2 people like this
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
27 Aug 07
Yes it was too close. And very scary if I say so myself.
1 person likes this
@lightningMD (5931)
• United States
27 Aug 07
I love to watch thunder storms. From the saftey of my home though. If you could tell by my name I kind of like lightning,but I also respect its power and the danger it can pose. I'm glad you are all right and your power is restored. Hopefully you will have some decent weather this week so you guys can dry out.
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
27 Aug 07
yeah we need to dry out drastically. It was sooo long withoput power yet it took the company maybe 15 minutes to repair. I am sure they were busy but what they did was so simple too. Here's my end table with my candle during the power outage. I take pics of everything. HAHAHA!!
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB!!~
1 person likes this
@Feona1962 (7526)
• United States
28 Aug 07
Holy cow. I would have had to check my pants after that one, if you know what I mean...LOL..I don't like storms. I wonder why the FD didn't put out the smoldering spot. Must have thought it wasn't serious enough, maybe.. I am glad that you have your power back and you didn't get hurt.
2 people like this
@MzTiffany06 (203)
• United States
27 Aug 07
Wow although I know it had to have been very scary I bet it was an awesome sight to see too. Glad your okay and everyone is safe!! Hope your weather improves soon.
2 people like this
@Polly1 (12645)
• United States
27 Aug 07
Oh my, that is scary. My house got hit by lightning once. I saw the sparks thru the window, the tv got fried. I had just told my son to unplug the computer. We always unplug our computers when we get lightning. You are really lucky you didn't get a big surge and loose some of your electronics. We have our stuff plugged into surge strips, but those are not foolproof. I am glad no one got hurt.
2 people like this
@1grnthmb (2055)
• United States
27 Aug 07
That is a scary position to be in. Good thing it did not hit you. When I had my landscape business we were maintaining a property on a very overcast day. There was no sign of lightening. One of my employees was mowing and he stopped because the machine started to spark. Just as he let go of the mower lightening hit it. It was amazing that he did not get hurt and it did nothing to the mower.
2 people like this
@TerryZ (22076)
• United States
27 Aug 07
Oh wow that certainly is scary!Im deathly afraid of lightening myself. Whenever we have a bad storm you can find me in my bedroom with the blinds shut and I will have Molly my cat under the blankets with me. She is also afraid of lightening and thunder. She actually shakes. I hope you not upset anymore.
2 people like this
@KrisNY (7590)
• United States
1 Sep 07
Wow- you have been having some exciting nights- It would have scared me also- to see it start on fire in front of me- I am surprised that they didn’t put it out either- Maybe they are told not to- not sure- Glad you got your power back- and I’ll take some rain- we haven’t had tons of it in a while!
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
3 Sep 07
Well those were exciting times for awhile with all the severe storms and raining. Now Labor Day weekend was just great and I've some discussions to work on but first I've hundreds of photos to edit to add to these new discussions I'll have in a day or three. Thanks also.
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!~
@Katlady2 (9904)
• United States
28 Aug 07
I would have been mad at the FD for not taking care of it myself! That was not a very smart move on their part. But at least everything turned out ok, and you and your family are alright. I am not very fond of lightning myself, as a bolt struck right in front of my face when I was in the second grade. That's a smell and a feeling I won't ever forget!
1 person likes this
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
28 Aug 07
I called City Hall and vpiced my concern as a citizen about their lack of judgement that night. So it's on record anyhow.The smell is awful to a point as well. I can still smell that burning ordor.
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!~
1 person likes this
