A police-dash-camera captured the moment a bolt of lightning struck a roadside transformer in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, at around 11 a.m. on 11 August. The strike, recorded at the intersection of Highway 17 and Shelmore Boulevard, sent a fireball skyward and ignited power lines on both sides of the road. Mount Pleasant Police said the explosion downed lines, darkened traffic signals and cut electricity to several neighbourhoods, leaving hundreds of customers without power for up to three hours. More than a dozen officers and community safety staff directed traffic at seven intersections while Dominion Energy crews cleared debris and restored service. No injuries were reported. The incident occurred as thunderstorms swept through coastal South Carolina and Georgia under a National Weather Service advisory. The region has recorded tens of thousands of lightning strikes in recent days, and forecasters are monitoring Tropical Storm Erin, which is expected to strengthen over the Atlantic later this week but currently poses no immediate threat to the U.S. mainland.