Davagator
08-16-2006, 01:13 PM
CAPE CORAL, Fla. -- When Vietnam veteran Richard Foley heard the boom Monday night, it brought back a lot of memories.
In reality, lightning struck a dead tree, located at 624 S.W. 9th Ave., about 9 p.m., causing an unusual explosion that shattered windows, lifted roofs, caved ceilings, dented cars, bent fences and caused an estimated $114,350 in damage to 16 homes on the avenue.
The white-hot bolt slammed into a towering 40-foot pine tree that had been decaying since Hurricane Charley pummeled it in 2004.
The charge zapped through the root system, and that, combined with pockets of water inside the trunk, caused the tree and roots to explode, carving a 14-foot long trench about 5 inches deep near the tree.
"It knocked me clear out of bed," he said. "It sounded like somebody tossed a grenade in the house."
"It was a very intense lightning storm," Van Helden said. "I think it's just amazing that more people weren't hurt."
In reality, lightning struck a dead tree, located at 624 S.W. 9th Ave., about 9 p.m., causing an unusual explosion that shattered windows, lifted roofs, caved ceilings, dented cars, bent fences and caused an estimated $114,350 in damage to 16 homes on the avenue.
The white-hot bolt slammed into a towering 40-foot pine tree that had been decaying since Hurricane Charley pummeled it in 2004.
The charge zapped through the root system, and that, combined with pockets of water inside the trunk, caused the tree and roots to explode, carving a 14-foot long trench about 5 inches deep near the tree.
"It knocked me clear out of bed," he said. "It sounded like somebody tossed a grenade in the house."
"It was a very intense lightning storm," Van Helden said. "I think it's just amazing that more people weren't hurt."