Toilet explodes in Florida home after lightning strikes septic tank

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A Port Charlotte, Florida homeowner is still cleaning up after her septic tank was struck by lightning, causing her toilet to explode over the weekend. Fox - 13 News

A Florida couple's toilet exploded Sunday when lightning struck their septic tank.

The reason? Methane gas.

"Methane gas is gas caused by the number two," Jordan Hagadorn, owner of the business repairing the couple's toilet, A-1 Affordable Plumbing Inc., told USA TODAY. "The natural gas is from crap, literally."

Over time, as people use their bathroom, methane builds up as the septic tank is filled. The lightning was the perfect source of ignition.

Closed septic tank cover in a backyard (Photo: BlakeDavidTaylor, Getty Images/iStockphoto)

"It was very scary," Marylou Ward told USA TODAY. "The explosion was very loud."

The couple was still in bed that morning when they heard the toilet and pipes blow up, Ward told WTHR-TV.

The toilet was blown to pieces as the explosion traveled through the pipes into the house. Even parts of the windows blew out, Hagadorn said.

Ward said that it was very weird to see. She never thought something like that could happen. "Sure glad I wasn't in there," she told USA TODAY.

It took him three hours to assess the damage Monday: The sanitary pipe is completely gone, the lid of the septic tank blew off and the toilet was demolished, too, he said.

The septic tank's lid was only an inch underground. That short distance between the surface and the tank probably contributed to why it was possible to explode.

"This might even bring out new laws and regulations for septic tanks," Hagadorn said.

It's going to be a big job to fix, he said.

Hagadorn is a second-generation plumber. His father, who was a plumber for 40 years, never saw anything like this either. He said it's probably "a first in plumbing history."

He recommends that people don't use the toilet during a thunderstorm. Ward certainly won't be doing that.

"I'm not taking any showers and not going to the bathroom," she said to WTHR-TV. "Not when it's thunderstorming and down here, that's a lot."

Well, I guess our lightning strike could have been much worse

Holy crap!

that stinks

Florida sure stays in the Headlines, the saying is true "Only in Florida"

Imagine sitting on the "throne" when that happened! YOWZER!!!

Lightning struck a shallow well pump at a rural residence near here last summer and burst water lines inside the home.

I can see the headline now: Dateline; James Bay, Ontario, Canada.

BOCO , Famous Canadian Trapper dead in outhouse explosion.

Famous trapper Bob Conrad's body was found hanging in overhead spruce trees after

his trap line outhouse ejected him skyward following

a methane gas explosion reportedly caused by a lightning strike.

Foul play may also have indeed been a factor in the tragedy

as the victim's last meal was reported to be Rosarita Refried Beans.

The force of the explosion was felt as far away as Toronto and allegedly rattled window panes in Ottawa.

Seismologists with the USGS recorded a 4.2 magnitude tremor on the richter scale from the blast.

Fellow trappers remarked that It was a fitting end for the old gas bag as he was full of crap,

and they always suspected BOCO would go out with a bang !!!

w

LOL,Thats a good one Walleyes,but I'm still here.

Well done.....and yes ,beer came out my nose,when I read it !

you 2 should get your own tv show.

Lmao!

A good friend of mine had lighting hit a tree in their yard, travel along the waterline under his Buick where it arced igniting the car on fire and then continue into the house destroying the hot water heater a few years back.

Walleyed, that's your best one yet. Let's see Boco with a comeback.

X2

Now, one has to wonder if the Insurance Company will pay for all the repairs, or try to get out of it; by saying is was an ACT OF GOD ??

Do you have a comeback, Boco?

He did. He tipped his hat and grinned

. Glad to hear Boco survived it.