Watch as lightning raises pillar of fire, then sparks an explosion along SC road

Nature staged a terrifying display of power in the South Carolina Lowcountry when lightning birthed a pillar of fire, dash cam video shows.

It happened Monday, Aug. 11, in Mount Pleasant, just east of Charleston, and a transformer dramatically exploded on the opposite side of the road.

That left drivers with flames shooting into the air to the left and sparks flying over traffic lanes on the right.

“A bit too much excitement for a Monday! The lightning strike caused our power outages and traffic delays,” Mount Pleasant police said in a Aug. 11 Facebook post.

“Fortunately, no one was injured, and Dominion Energy responded quickly, restoring power and removing the downed wires.”

The bolt hit a utility pole along U.S. 17 near Shelmore Boulevard, causing the highway to be closed for ”several hours,” WYFF reports.

The police video had amassed more than 5 million views and nearly 7,000 reactions as of Aug. 12, including a lot of horror movie references (”Final Destination,” “Mad Max: Fury Road,” “Left Behind”).

“It was insane, happened right in front of me,” Hartley Cooper wrote on the police department’s Facebook page.

“Terrifying I’m sure! That’s a scene in my worst nightmares,” Rachael Renee wrote on the police department’s Facebook page.

“I’d have to change my pants. Yikes!” Lena Frensley said.

This story was originally published August 12, 2025 at 7:12 AM with the headline "Watch as lightning raises pillar of fire, then sparks an explosion along SC road."