BOSTON (CBS) – A lightning strike briefly knocked out power to the building housing WBZ-TV and WBZ NewsRadio 1030.
Both stations were on the air as thunder rocked the building. WBZ-TV Chief Meteorologist Todd Gutner was forced to finish his forecast in the dark.
About 19 seconds into the video posted above, the microphone suddenly cuts out with a quick burst of static, as the lights in the studio go out. Gutner’s audio returns a short time later, but only his weather map remains lit.
“We just took a potent lightning strike, probably right to the rooftop or to our transmitter,” Gutner said as he attempted to continue his forecast.
WBZ-TV anchor Jack Williams said it was the first time he can remember in his 37-year tenure that the station was knocked off the air by lightning during a live newscast.