dailyloe.com – A lightning strike caused a massive redwood tree to explode in a Santa Rosa neighborhood early Friday morning. The event scattered debris and damaged two nearby buildings. Cleanup efforts are ongoing in the North Bay area. The incident occurred at 5 a.m. in Santa Rosa’s Oakmont Village.
The top half of the redwood tree splintered into dozens of pieces. Debris was scattered approximately 200 feet from the site. The intense rain falling at the time prevented flaming embers from spreading. The remains of the tall tree may be left standing as a reminder.
The Monsignor Fahey Parish Center and an adjacent office building were damaged. The church building was red-tagged by safety officials. The office building received a yellow tag pending further inspection. No injuries were reported from the explosive event.
Resident David Morgan lives just across the street from the tree. He described hearing a shocking ‘boom’ and then a crack. Morgan said it was the loudest thunder he had ever heard. He noted immediate fear because similar trees are everywhere in the area.
Another resident, Kaurel King, lives a distance away from ground zero. King said it was the loudest thunder heard since moving to the West Coast 45 years ago. The resident woke up very startled and saw the sky all lit up. The sound was described as incredibly loud.
Office building owner Ira Lowenthal commented on the damage. A tenant called to say the rear end of the building was crushed by a tree. Lowenthal initially thought the whole tree had toppled over. The owner said the damage was not quite as bad as the church property.
Extremely tall trees filled with water act as natural lightning rods. Photographer Kent Porter noted this is the fourth such incident in a couple of months. The information came from a conversation with the Press-Democrat photographer. The statement highlights a pattern of similar lightning strikes.[]
Source: KTVU
