Lightning strike barely misses Florida police officer

APOPKA, Fla. – Video caught a Florida police officer who barely missed being struck by lightning Tuesday.

The Apopka Police Department officer was getting into his vehicle in the parking lot around 8:30 p.m. when the lightning strike knocked out power to headquarters.

In the security camera video, the canine officer can be seen ducking at the sound as the lightning struck just feet away.

Firefighters responded to the police department after a haze was seen inside the building, but no damage or fire was located.

The officer was unharmed.

A little too close for comfort!

On Tuesday, June 26, around 8:30 p.m., a severe storm rolled through downtown Apopka resulting in a lightning strike near the police department parking lot. The resulting strike knocked out the power to the building and damaged multiple electrical transformers. The building’s generator activated and provided power to the building’s components. The Apopka Fire Department responded due to a haze in the building, but no damage or fire was located. There were no injuries to the officers or public and no emergency services were interrupted. The city’s emergency 911 center is located at a remote site and was unaffected. The video taken from one of the department’s surveillance cameras shows a police canine officer next to his vehicle at the time of the strike. He retreated to his vehicle and was unharmed.

Posted by The Apopka Chief on Wednesday, June 27, 2018