Lightning Strike in Maine, February 22, 1997

Powerful lightning from rare wintertime thunderstorms caused considerable damage and injured three people in the Oxford Hills area of Oxford County. In one small area around two neighboring homes, the lightning struck at least five locations. The lightning destroyed the electrical and phone systems of both homes, damaged a chimney, and broke numerous windows. One home had an estimated $70,000 in damages. The lightning travelled from one of the trees to an underground cable which exploded, causing a ditch 75 feet long and up to 2 feet deep and up to 4 feet wide in the frozen ground. The lightning also killed a dog that was chained to a different tree that was struck in one of the yards. In separate areas of Oxford, three people were injured and taken to a local hospital. In one case, a man was washing a lumber truck when he was struck. In a second case, a man was injured while working inside a garage when lightning struck nearby. A third person was injured doing laundry in her basement when the electrical charge from a nearby lightning stroke came through her electrical system.