Dooen man Ray Carman had the fright of his life on Thursday night when he was almost hit by lightning. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
Dooen man Ray Carman had the fright of his life on Thursday night when he was almost hit by lightning.
The volunteer fire-fighter was driving from his home to Horsham Fire Station about 11.30pm when lightning hit Dooen Road about three kilometres from Horsham.
"A bolt of lightning came down and hit the bitumen about two metres from my car, rocked the car violently and basically scared the heck out of me," he said.
"With the ute lurching violently, I banged myself against the door and hurt my shoulder.
"When I got into the station, I went into shock I was sweating and wasn't very coherent so the brigade officers rang an ambulance."
Mr Carman was treated for shock, high blood pressure and a high heart rate at Wimmera Base Hospital before being released about 2.30am on Friday.
He said despite having watched the lightning, which sparked fires across the Wimmera and Grampians, he never imagined such a close encounter.
"When I was about a kilometre from where it happened, there were three bolts of lightning and I thought 'that was close'," he said.
"By the time I got down the road a little bit, it was definitely too close.
"It was a really top light show and I can see the funny side of it now but I didn't at the time.
"But that is one part of my life I don't want to go back to once is enough."