Lightning struck the City of Covington’s Public Works’ property, damaging the parking area near the fuel pumps where a utility van was tossed onto the hood of a truck.
The strike was so powerful that it ripped chunks of asphalt the size of footballs from the parking area and propelled them across the chain-link fence onto a grassy area across the street.
The blast scattered debris on the asphalt adjacent to the fenced-in area where the metal fence posts were left bent and leaning beside irregular slabs of asphalt the size of tabletops.
City workers on the scene declined to comment, and city officials authorized to comment were out of town.
A member of the city manager’s staff noted that a press release will be forthcoming upon the city manager’s return.