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Lightning Blows Toilet To Smithereens After Travelling Through Exhaust Vent

Home> News

Published 15:18 9 May 2022 GMT+1

Lightning Blows Toilet To Smithereens After Travelling Through Exhaust Vent

A lightning bolt has completely destroyed someone's toilet after it shot through an apartment's exhaust vent.

Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck

A lightning bolt has completely destroyed someone's toilet after it shot through an apartment's exhaust vent.

One of my worst fears is someone breaking into my house to murder me while I'm on the loo. Being struck by lightning is now a pretty close second.

Fortunately, no one was sat doing a number two on this toilet when it was obliterated by a lightning bolt, leaving shattered pieces of porcelain scattered all over the floor.

A lightning bolt travelled through the apartment's exhaust vent.
Alamy

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On Wednesday, 4 May, firefighters from the Okmulgee Fire Department were called to an apartment in Oklahoma after the incident took place.

In a statement shared with Nexstar, Fire Chief Dewayne Hurt reported the toilet was nearly completely destroyed but thankfully no one was injured.

He said: "The fan was destroyed and the toilet bowl was severely damaged. There was a slightly burned rafter in the attic area where we believe the lightning struck."

The lightning bolt hit the roof before it came through the exhaust vent.
Okmulgee Fire Department

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According to a firefighter from the Okmulgee Fire Department, the bolt of lightning travelled through the metal exhaust vent after first hitting the roof. It then came into contact with the water in the loo's bowl, which caused it to explode.

As well as causing the loo to blow up, the lightning bolt also started a small fire in the apartment's attic. Fortunately, crews were able to extinguish the blaze.

The apartment complex told local television station KWCH no one had been staying in the apartment at the time of the storm. However, it was due to be rented out the following morning.

Okmulgee Fire Lieutenant Rocky Morrow said: "I’ve worked at the fire department for 19 years and never seen anything like it."

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A fire lieutenant said he had 'never seen anything like it'.
Okmulgee Fire Department

While it is unusual for a lightning bolt to cause this type of damage within an apartment, the National Weather Service (NWS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDS) both warn against the use of water appliances during an electrical storm.

NSW warns to avoid 'all water' and pipes or plumbing 'including sinks, baths and faucets'.

If outside, it also states you should 'immediately' remove yourself from 'ponds, lakes and other bodies of water' and get to a 'safe shelter'.

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According to NSW's website, an average of 20 people are killed by lightning each year in the US.

CDS also notes that 'about one-third of lightning-strike injuries occur indoors'.

If you have a story you want to tell, send it to UNILAD via [email protected]  

Featured Image Credit: Okmulgee Fire Department

Topics: US News, Weather

Poppy Bilderbeck
Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck is a Senior Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from The University of Manchester in 2021 with a First in English Literature and Drama, where alongside her studies she was Editor-in-Chief of The Tab Manchester. Poppy is most comfortable when chatting about all things mental health, is proving a drama degree is far from useless by watching and reviewing as many TV shows and films as possible and is such a crisp fanatic the office has been forced to release them in batches.

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