RICHER, Manitoba — Two residents of the Thunder Bay area escaped injury but received the scare of their lives when their vehicle was struck by lightning on the Trans-Canada Highway in Manitoba this week.
Their pickup truck was destroyed Monday afternoon after it caught fire when a lightning bolt hit the vehicle's antenna.
"There was a big blue flash near our truck. The truck died instantly on the highway at 100 kilometres an hour," Andy Agarand of Neebing told local media.
The lightning strike caused an electrical fire in the dashboard which spread quickly to the rest of the interior.
Agarand and his wife were able to grab some of their possessions and get out just in time, but were left feeling stunned by what had just transpired.
"People don't believe that happens," Agarand said.
He said smoke was filling the cab's interior for just about a minute or two before it became engulfed.
The incident occurred near Richer, about 55 kilometres east of Winnipeg.
Passersby provided assistance to the couple.
Richer Deputy Fire Chief David Reith told CJOB radio "Typically, your vehicle is a very safe, if not the safest place, to be for lightning or high-voltage type situations. So it was a bit of a shock."
Agarand commented "You are safe but the truck's not safe, obviously."
According to the Canadian Automobile Association the reason a vehicle is generally a safe place to be in a lightning storm is not the rubber tires, but rather the the metal frame, which directs the electric current around the outside of the vehicle.
CAA says "Most vehicles today are made with enough metal throughout the frame that you will be protected from lightning should it strike your vehicle, provided you’re not touching interior components like door handles, gearshifts, electronics, or the steering wheel."
The National Weather Service in the U.S. says damage to the antenna, electrical system, rear windshield, and tires is common, and it's possible for vehicles to be destroyed by fire.
