Lightning strike explodes transformer in Visalia

What happened

During a storm with heavy rain, workers at the CJ Hammer Pump & Machinery facility in Visalia, California, recorded a transformer exploding after a lightning strike. The report says power was not affected and that no one was injured. It does not say whether the transformer stood on that facility's site or nearby, and it does not describe a utility crew response to this event.

Contributing factors

A lightning strike during a thunderstorm with heavy rain. The report does not describe the condition of the transformer before the strike.

Lessons learned

1. Lightning can cause a transformer to explode even when strikes on transformers are described as uncommon.
2. An explosion may not interrupt supply, so the asset should still be checked after a nearby strike.
3. People who see a transformer explosion should keep clear rather than approach to look.

Source

abc30.com