FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - A bolt of lightning triggered a fireball that illuminated a neighborhood in Fort Lauderdale.
The apparent lightning strike hit electrical wiring on a fence, sparking a fire that lit up the area of the Lake Ridge neighborhood, early Monday morning.
The intense weather and subsequent light show sparked by it woke up residents like Micki.
“It’s startling. We’re beyond startled, and it kept, like, blowing up and booming again,” said area resident Mickie.
She said the stunning sight and continued explosive sparks left residents shocked by what they were witnessing.
“You hear the first lightning blast and nothing bothers her, I heard it, it woke me up, it was loud enough to – but right after that, it was a second boom, a ball of yellow fire,” said Micki.
The bolt struck a fence line of Villa Medici Townhomes off Northeast 17th Avenue and Sunrise Boulevard, seemingly traveling through electrical wire on the fence and jumping to light fixtures on the nearby columns.
The aggressive strike from Mother Nature also brought down a live power line in the area, sparking small balls of fire to erupt as responding crews waited for Florida Power & Light to shut off the power.
“You can see the live wire laying along the steps and it was on fire. The fire kept [reigniting],” said Micki. “FP&L took a long time, it could’ve been very bad.”
The heat from the flames so powerful it melted the light bulbs inside the light fixtures, scorched sections of the columns and turned some nearby sand into shards of glass.
The homeowner’s association told 7News they’ve been in contact with the insurance company to work out necessary repairs.
While signs suggest the damage was caused by lightning, officials have not yet drawn that conclusion as they investigate.
Copyright 2026 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.