FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) – A bolt of lightning triggered a fireball that illuminated a neighborhood in Fort Lauderdale.<\/p>\n
The apparent lightning strike hit electrical wiring on a fence, sparking a fire that lit up the area of the Lake Ridge neighborhood, early Monday morning.<\/p>\n
The intense weather and subsequent light show sparked by it woke up residents like Micki.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s startling. We\u2019re beyond startled, and it kept, like, blowing up and booming again,\u201d said area resident Mickie.<\/p>\n
She said the stunning sight and continued explosive sparks left residents shocked by what they were witnessing.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou hear the first lightning blast and nothing bothers her, I heard it, it woke me up, it was loud enough to \u2013 but right after that, it was a second boom, a ball of yellow fire,\u201d said Micki.<\/p>\n
The bolt struck a fence line of Villa Medici Townhomes off Northeast 17th Avenue and Sunrise Boulevard, seemingly traveling through electrical wire on the fence and jumping to light fixtures on the nearby columns.<\/p>\n
The aggressive strike from Mother Nature also brought down a live power line in the area, sparking small balls of fire to erupt as responding crews waited for Florida Power & Light to shut off the power.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can see the live wire laying along the steps and it was on fire. The fire kept [reigniting],\u201d said Micki. \u201cFP&L took a long time, it could\u2019ve been very bad.\u201d<\/p>\n
The heat from the flames so powerful it melted the light bulbs inside the light fixtures, scorched sections of the columns and turned some nearby sand into shards of glass.<\/p>\n
The homeowner\u2019s association told 7News they\u2019ve been in contact with the insurance company to work out necessary repairs.<\/p>\n
While signs suggest the damage was caused by lightning, officials have not yet drawn that conclusion as they investigate.<\/p>\n
Copyright 2026 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.<\/p>\n
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