A truck driving down the Trans-Canada Highway was struck by a bolt of lightning during Monday’s storm.
Luckily, the driver and passenger of the truck were not harmed — but the same can’t be said for the truck.
Driver Andy Agarand said he and his wife were heading to Calgary to visit family when the lightning struck.
“There was a big blue flash near our truck, the truck died instantly on the highway at 100 kilometres an hour,” he said.
“It was raining and I couldn’t see, so I just pulled the truck over the best I could onto the gravel.”
Agarand said he and his wife couldn’t believe it.
“People don’t believe that happens,” he said.
Richer Fire Department Deputy Chief David Reith told 680 CJOB that the couple was driving down the highway west of the community when lightning hit the radio antenna.
It started an electrical fire in the dashboard and the passengers were able to get out just in time.
“Typically, your vehicle is a very safe, if not the safest place, to be for lightning or high voltage type situations. So it was a bit of a shock,” Reith said.
“You are safe but the trucks not safe, obviously,” Agarand said.
“Thankfully though, there were some passersby and one of the passersby happened to be a fellow volunteer firefighter from another department,” Reith said.
“They had already been working to put the fire out and the fire was basically extinguished by the time we got there. But the vehicle was a total loss.”
Brian Smiley of Manitoba Public Insurance told Global News that provided the vehicle has an active and valid policy, the vehicle should be covered for events like this.
He said typically, the vehicle is written off due to extensive electrical damage.
“Over the last two years, data indicates about 30 lightning and vehicle strikes.”