‘The chimney kind of blew up’: Lightning strike sends bricks crashing to ground in South End

BOSTON – Lightning struck a brownstone in Boston’s South End Thursday evening, sending bricks crashing to the sidewalk on Mass. Ave. below.

When firefighters arrived, they found quite a mess of debris.

“The chimney kind of blew up when it got hit by the lightning,” said Boston Fire District Chief Robert Counihan. “Lots of bricks fell down. Luckily nobody was walking by and no one got injured.”

Neighbors said the lightning strike rocked their homes.

“Sitting at the dining room table when this gigantic flash of lightning and instant thunder, it was a huge thunderclap, like an explosion,” said Michael Borum. “I jumped out of my chair and ran to the window.”

Outside, traffic on Mass Ave had stopped. Everyone was startled by what they heard and saw.

Bricks were thrown onto cars and an iron fence was knocked over by the bricks.