Ball lightning struck a bus with German tourists near Russia’s western city of Kaliningrad, chairwoman of the regional tourist association Tamara Toropova said on Thursday.
None of the 19 passengers on board the bus was injured when the ball lightning struck the bus during a thunderstorm on Monday.
“The bus, a Setra, was absolutely new; it was literally stuffed with electronic gadgets. Near the entrance to the city [Kaliningrad], some 30 kilometers away from it, ball lightning struck the lightning rod antenna, spread over the vehicle, headed toward the power supply unit and then exploded,” Toropova said, adding that the fireball also blew off three of the bus’s wheels.
The vehicle is irreparable, but is also on warranty in Germany and will be taken there by ferry.