Lightning Hits Alexandria Bay Pavilion Flagpole ! Posted Wednesday, June 11, 2008 at 7:11:31 PM     Alexandria Bay, NY 1000 Islands  Comments  Unique Views 1401/Total Views 1408

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Alexandria Bay, NY    by John P. Carsten    June, 2008

At approximately 11:30 am on Tuesday, June 10, 2008 a bolt of lightening struck the flagpole at the
public park near the pavilion near water's edge. about 15 people had gathered in the pavilion to avoid
the showers that had quickly swept in on low moving clouds. The author was on the concrete pier at the
edge of the water gathering his fishing equipment to head for cover as the lightening hit. He made it to
the pavilion before another strike occurred. No one else was outside the pavilion. A prior clap of
thunder had occurred about ten minutes earlier but was several miles away.
The lightening hit the flagpole, blowing out several good sized rocks from around the base of the
flagpole, several flower plants and dirt and headed toward the steps of the pavilion, blasting out several
bricks surrounding the flagpole, tunneling underground, erupting the ground and finding the handrail to
the pavilion. The mountings of the rail were  blown apart in at least two locations with concrete and
rock fragments landing as far as 30 feet from the sources of damage.

Fortunately no one was hurt.

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