A Bradenton police officer captured the moment a lightning bolt struck a water tower on body-camera footage [1].
The incident highlights the effectiveness of municipal infrastructure protections during severe weather, a common occurrence in the lightning-prone region of Southwest Florida.
The strike occurred on Sixth Avenue West in Bradenton, Florida [1, 2]. While reports on the exact date vary, some sources place the event on Aug. 6 [3] and others on Aug. 7 [2, 4]. The bolt struck just after 5 p.m. [2].
Footage from the officer's body-worn camera recorded the flash as a thunderstorm passed through the area. The water tower was equipped with a heavy-duty lightning protection system, which absorbed the strike and prevented damage to the structure [1, 2].
Similar footage has been shared by various news outlets this week, including a video posted by CTV News on Aug. 11 [5]. The recording provides a rare perspective of the speed and intensity of a direct lightning strike on urban infrastructure.
Police and city officials said there were no injuries resulting from the event. The tower's protection system functioned as designed, diverting the electrical discharge safely into the ground to protect the water supply and surrounding area.
“A lightning bolt struck a water tower and the moment was recorded on the officer's body‑camera.”
This event demonstrates the critical role of lightning protection systems (LPS) in urban planning. In high-risk zones like Florida, tall metal structures act as natural attractors for lightning; without grounding systems to safely dissipate the energy, such strikes could lead to structural failure or electrical fires in nearby grids.
