A quiet Miramar block got a jarring wake-up Monday afternoon when a bolt of lightning nailed a vehicle that was leaking natural gas, officials said. The strike sparked flames on the car, but responders reported no injuries.
What Happened
Surveillance and response video captured the flash slamming into a vehicle parked on a residential street. According to CBS News Miami, the lightning hit a gas-leaking car in the 6600 block of Dalia Drive and triggered calls to local fire crews and the Broward Sheriff’s Office.
Response on the Ground
Miramar Fire Rescue units arrived to find the vehicle fully engulfed in flames, as reported by Local10. The outlet said a hazmat team and a gas company crew were called in to secure a natural gas line that was leaking near the vehicle. The car was unoccupied at the time, and no injuries were reported.
Other Recent Lightning Incidents
This close call is just the latest in a run of wild lightning strikes across South Florida over the holiday weekend. Surveillance video in North Miami captured a bolt snapping a tree and sending it crashing onto a moving SUV, according to NBC6. Earlier in the weekend, a strike at Fort Myers Beach turned deadly, leaving at least one person killed and several others injured, per AccuWeather.
Why It Matters
Florida is among the nation’s most lightning-prone states, and forecasters say scenes like this are exactly why basic storm safety rules matter. As the National Weather Service stresses on its lightning safety page, “When Thunder Roars… GO INDOORS!” People are urged to wait 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder before heading back outside, according to the National Weather Service.
Crews stayed on scene Monday while utility workers secured the gas line and responders cleared the area. Traffic in the neighborhood was briefly disrupted during the response, and officials said they will share additional details if the investigation uncovers anything new.
