![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
thanks for sharing the link to photos...
I remember one case, where I witnessed a close hit of lightning. It was approx 30 years ago when lightning hit with estimated distance of 50...70m of the house where I lived.
I assume first hit was on tree (pine). Bark was removed instantly by couple of centimeter wide area from top to bottom of tree. Lightning did continue to the ground. It made approx 2...3cm diameter hole. In the same point approx 70...85cm below the ground there is 400V 3-phase underground powercable. This cable was also hit and insulation destroyed.
There was very loud bang heard indoors
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
I was happy I was not near to "most critical places" since the large overvoltages came inside of house also. In some places inside (phone jack on wall -> phone extension cables), overvoltage jumped easily at distance of 50cm (!) and then continue to another room to destroy electronics...
At time when this happened, I was not aware the fact - that it may be possibility to form a fulgurite. There was at least some sand deeper on the ground. Point where tubular hole in the ground was formed, the surface wegetation was disappeared within a 20...30cm diameter are area around hole. It looked like a mixture of mould, turf and broken pieces of surface wegetation roots.
Later when we did have problems with 3-phase powerline, it was needed to order a team to repair the underground cable. I estimate that none of the team may know about fulgurites
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
I was not there when the cable was repaired. I assume they have have removed all the soil around "tubular hole". If there might have been some fulgurite structures - those were disappered & broken by the powerline repair team. So the question remains open...