Lightning strike

A guy in town lost his barn yesterday. Lightning, a barn built 300 years ago, and a bunch of hay - not a good mix. Actually only part of the barn was that old, a lot was added on and changed over time, but still sad to see it go.

To make it worse, he just bought a kubota tractor and parked it in the barn a few hours before these pictures. There was also a 1940's era dodge pickup truck - us Navy with under 4000 original miles. An old sleigh, some amish buggies, a lot more than just hay.

Complete loss.

But at least the firemen kept it from spreading to the house which isn't that far away - in fact in one of these pictures you can see a fire engine parked surprisingly close to the barn, that was to help shield the house.

Nobody was hurt - which of course is what matters the most - people or animals.

I lost track of time while it burned, but all I can say is it didn't take long at all. The fire station is about 1/8 of a mile away from the barn, and it was called in right after the lightning hit, but it went so fast it just didn't matter. It's completely gone.


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That's to bad, guy around here lost his barn do to putting up green or damp hay. You see a rake frame in there, I think someone said he also lost a kubota tractor, the fire kept reigniting over the next few days.

That is so sad. We can not control the weather. All we can do is move on, as hard as that is.
Richard in NW SC

Back in 1975, lightning struck a pole barn at the farm in the middle of the night. It had hay and a couple of tractors parked inside at the time. What a mess that was cleaning up.

been lucky with lightning , whaen ever I get stuck in a storn, felt the hair raise up on my arm s serveral times but never got hit yet.. when I was about 4 I recall dad coming down the lane , combine in tow hard as the ol sc case could go ,, the big burr oak tree got hit by lightning , just as he passed under it in a pouring rain ,. he rolled in under the lean to of the barn and ran into the house . I remember him telling mom he got shoked pretty bad by the strike... we saw it happen from the front porch where my sisters and I where when the storm hit ,,. after supper we went out to unhook the combine and the pin was spot welded to the combine hitch,. and the clean grain elevator was burst at the seam,.. I remember dad repairing that explaining to his uncle ( who was the same age he was ) how it all happened

Yes it could be worse. My daughter lost one of her college classmates just the other day. Lightning strike killed him dead while he was out golfing. His buddy was hit also but will survive.

My dad was at a school dance, was in the corner near a vent pipe when lightning struck, knocked him across the room but he was OK or I wouldn't be here.

Quite a few years ago I saw a strike hit a barn, it was far enough away and behind trees so could not see actual strike but within 5 seconds could see the big fire ball that was the barn. Was about 4 mile away coing down the road, just got close and the fire department was just ariving. Also years ago neighbow was working field, it is thought that he got cought in rain and tractor drouned out as he appered to be walking toward barn when found and it had blown his shoes off.

Any barn fire is a tragic loss, especially a fully utilized one. A metal roofing contractor redid my barn about 5 years ago and my house about 3 weeks ago. Both times didn't want to reinstall the lightening rods and cables. He said there is no proof that lighting rods protect anything from being struck, but instead will attract strikes. This is contrary to what I've always been told in past. What is the real truth about lightning rods. Contractor said no new houses or commercial buildings are so equipped because insurance companies don't require them. I would like to hear both views of this situation.

caseman46:

Place I worked at back in the early 1970's, lightning struck a large storage building about 100 yds. from me. Building was steel reinforced concrete block with a corrugated steel roof. Well grounded Lightning Rod on one end of the building. Lightning struck the OTHER END of the building. Concrete block EXPLODED as if someone had dropped a bomb. Building engulfed in flames almost immediately. We had our own Fire system, 40,000 gal. tank; while others called the Fire Dept., I ran over & fired up the Fire Pump & started spraying water on the fire. Inside the building were several restored antique vehicles that the owner showed in parades. Building & contents were a total loss, fortunately the Owner had enough Insurance that he recovered the majority of his loss. Security cameras caught everything and helped with the Insurance Claim.

Doc

Grandpa lost our barn in 1950 to a lightning strike, kept my Dad from going to Seminary (a good thing for the church) which eventually lead to me (a bad thing for the rest of the world). The "new" barn is covered with lightning rods, so he believed in them.
Neighboring BTO had a barn hit by lightning one afternoon, as the patriarch rushed to save equipment parked inside, he was overcome by smoke, which eventually resulted in his passing, all because of some stupid tractors

I know a preacher who had a 3 car garage, he was looking for someone to take it down. It
was is very bad shape. Lightning took it down. It was like someone blew it up. No fire.
Preacher got paid for the garage that was falling down. Win Win.