RESIDENTS in Oxford were left shocked when a mysterious fireball erupted in the sky after a powerful explosion this evening.
Terrified locals were told the mysterious bang was caused by lightning striking the waste plant, according to officers.
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Credit: Twitter/typewriter
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Others have also uploaded photos of the unusual orange glow Credit: Twitter/Stuartbigbro2
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A huge explosion and fireball left locals speculating about the causeCredit: Twitter/Knocker
Lightning ignited the gas tanks and caused a powerful explosion that left the sky “pulsing with flames and smoke” this evening.
Police confirmed no one was injured in the Yarnton fire, but warned the A40 was closed.
Locals were also urged to stay indoors and close their windows and doors following the chaos of the fireball.
A number of concerned citizens have taken to Xu, formerly Twitter, to express their concerns about the shock phenomenon.
One shocking video shows the night sky lit up by a huge fireball.
The fire then spread into the night, leaving the locals stunned.
While another wrote: “Anyone else in Oxford see that fireball??
“A loud explosion and then the sky just did this, mind you it’s supposed to be dark.”
A third user also managed to capture footage of the “strange” event and noted that the “sky was pulsating.”
In a statement from Thames Valley Police: “Our officers are currently at the scene of a fire at a waste facility near Yarnton, Oxfordshire.
“It is believed that lightning struck gas tanks at the site during bad weather tonight and caused a large fire.
“No one is believed to be injured but emergency services are at the scene.
“As a result, the A40 is closed between Wolvercote and Eynsham. To ensure public safety, residents are asked to stay at home, close windows and doors and not come to the scene.”
Other users online also agreed that the sky “glowed for two minutes” before suddenly disappearing.
Some terrified members of the public reported experiencing a momentary loss of power shortly after the explosion.
Meanwhile, Severn Trent Green Power said in a statement: “Severn Trent Green Power can confirm that at approximately 19:20 this evening, a digester tank at its Cassington AD facility near Yarnton, Oxfordshire, was struck by lightning resulting in the biogas in the tank igniting .
“We are working with the emergency services to secure the site and will provide further comment in due course.”
Meanwhile, a worker at a Shell petrol station on Woodstock Road told the Oxford Mail: “It was a seriously heavy strike. It was in the middle of Yarnton, near William Fletcher Primary School.
“I was at work and I didn’t leave because I was scared. It was dark and suddenly everything shone like the sun.”
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education