Mount Pleasant, United States - August 11, 2025 A lightning strike hit a transformer along Highway 17 on August 11, 2025, unleashing a massive explosion and widespread power outages around 11 a.m. The blast sent wires crashing across the roadway at the intersection of Highway 17 and Shelmore Boulevard, causing significant traffic delays. No injuries were reported. Mount Pleasant Police said in a statement: “A bit too much excitement for a Monday! The lightning strike caused our power outages and traffic delays. Fortunately, no one was injured, and Dominion Energy responded quickly, restoring power and removing the downed wires.” The dramatic moment, captured on an officer’s dash cam, forced more than a dozen officers and community service officers to manage traffic at seven intersections for roughly three hours. The strike came during a stretch of severe weather in the region, with nearly 30,000 lightning strikes recorded earlier in August amid a heatwave and high humidity. The incident has heightened concerns over infrastructure vulnerability to extreme weather, a growing focus in climate change discussions.