Video: Lightning Strikes a Church Bell Tower in France
On the evening of August 15, in the village of Saint-Salvade in southwestern France, lightning struck the bell tower of the local church, causing a fire. The incident occurred during a severe thunderstorm in the Aveyron department.
According to local media reports, the lightning strike occurred around 11:00 p.m. Afterward, a fire broke out in the upper part of the bell tower and spread rapidly.
Firefighters arrived promptly at the scene and began extinguishing the blaze. The fire was contained, but the upper part of the bell tower sustained significant damage.
The church in question is the Neo-Gothic Saint-Salvade Church, which is known as the “Cathedral of Segal” due to its size and architecture. The church’s bell tower is approximately 41 meters tall.
The church also houses a silver processional cross from the 15th–16th centuries, which is designated as a historical monument.
Information on the full extent of the damage to the building is currently being clarified. Local authorities are continuing to assess the impact of the storm.
This was reported by Le Figaro.
Earlier, in the Bavarian town of Harburg, a lightning strike knocked out the barriers at two railroad crossings. Due to the malfunction, traffic was disrupted, and the city was effectively split into two parts. Emergency services worked to restore the systems.
During a severe thunderstorm in Odesa, lightning struck a residential building, causing a fire to break out. Eyewitnesses posted videos of the storm’s aftermath online.
