Lightning strikes chimney, enters Finnish home and hits bed

A rare lightning strike in Orimattila, Päijät-Häme, entered a 100-square-metre log house through its chimney late Friday night, damaging the flue and reaching inside the building, Yle reports.

The bolt travelled along electrical wiring, leaving a scorch mark on a corner of a bed. No injuries or fire resulted, though residents were shaken and reported seeing a bright flash. Authorities have advised them to undergo a follow-up inspection.

Lahti’s on-duty fire chief Lasse Kumakari, who was not on shift at the time, called the incident highly unusual. Neither he nor the previous shift supervisor had encountered a similar case, and Kumakari noted that strikes directly into chimneys are uncommon, though their height may have been a factor.

“Everything just aligned perfectly,” he said.