I investigated one fire where lightning stuck the highest conductor on a pole. The lightning then ran along the poles for over half a mile, partially dissipating at each of 4 lightning arrestors before jumping over to a lower communications carrier wire then to a 120 volt feed to a bus shelter then over to the bus shelter itself, into the buried anchor rods and then, about 6 feet underground jumping from the anchor rod to a high pressure natural gas trunk line. Burning a hole in that steel line ignited a fire like that seen at a Middle Eastern oil field flare.

Lightning is truly an 800 pound gorilla. You can only try to direct it where to go.

Michael A. Learmonth, B.A.Sc., M.B.A., M.Eng., J.D., LL.B., C.F.E.I., P.Eng.
Senior Associate, Giffin Koerth Forensic Engineering and Science
40 University Avenue, Suite 800
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5J 1T1
Phone: 416-368-1700 ext. 225
Fax: 416-368-5576