Lightning strike at Florida resort sends concrete raining down on SUV in parking lot

Chunks of concrete heavy enough to punch holes in steel fell out of the sky on Florida’s Gulf Coast over the weekend, and investigators blame a lightning strike.

It happened Saturday, June 11, at the Opal Sands Resort, a 230-room waterfront hotel that promises visitors a “beach-chic atmosphere.” The resort is on a barrier island 25 miles west of Tampa.

“The roof of the Opal Sands was struck by lightning this morning, sending debris into the parking lot below,” the Clearwater Police Department reported in a Facebook post. “One vehicle was hit by the debris but no one was injured.”

Photos show the Ford SUV with a broken windshield and a hole punched into its hood. One small piece of concrete was left lodged between the hood and windshield.

Investigators did not say if anyone was in the vehicle or near it at the time. The lot was closed until inspectors determined no more debris was poised to fall from the roof. Resort operations were not interrupted, police said.

Investigators shared a photo showing a corner of the building was struck, cracking the facade.

Florida’s extended coastline is prone to lightning strikes and led the nation last year with four lightning-related fatalities, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Strikes can reach 300 million volts and are “hotter than the surface of the sun,” at temperatures of 50,000 degrees, the National Weather Service reports.

This story was originally published June 13, 2022 at 2:39 PM with the headline "Lightning strike at Florida resort sends concrete raining down on SUV in parking lot."