Toilet explodes after lighting strike hits Florida home's septic tank
  • 5 years ago
PORT CHARLOTTE, FLORIDA — A Florida homeowner is picking up the pieces of what used to be her toilet after it blew up in a freak accident caused by a lightning strike.
According to homeowner Marylou Ward talking to WINK News, it all happened in a millisecond, but it was the loudest sound she has ever heard.
According to NBC 2 News, Ward was in bed with her husband and three dogs listening to the rain and thunder on Sunday morning when tragedy struck the crapper.
According to their plumber, after the lightning struck the septic tank, it most likely caused the methane gas from fecal matter built up in the pipes to ignite.

This then led to Marylou's toilet exploding and shattering into hundreds of pieces everywhere in the bathroom.
Besides destroying the can, the lightning also shattered Ward's master bedroom window and scattered her yard decorations all over the place.

Luckily, no one was hurt. Ward said, "I'm just glad none of us were on the toilet. That's the main thing."

So does this mean one should stay off the can during thunderstorms? According to the plumbing company, exploding toilets are about as rare as someone getting struck by lighting.