PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. -- With the storms of course come lightning, and one bolt left its mark in Pierce County.

Geanellen and Jerry Kuranko said they heard an explosion in the middle of the night Wednesday, as a thunderstorm moved over their house in South Prairie.

“Oh, it was terrible. It was just a big loud explosion. It sounded like the whole house blew up,” said Geanellen.

When they looked outside their window they saw an 80-foot tall cedar tree torn to pieces -- ripped apart by a bolt of lightning. The tree didn't just split or fall over, it exploded. Pieces were scattered in a circle around the tree like shrapnel.

One chunk speared the roof of a nearby woodshed, piercing it and lodging halfway through. Another piece, more than eight-feet long, lodged in the ground like a javelin -- after being thrown more than 100 feet from the spot where the lightning hit.

The Kurankos said they have lived in this area their entire lives, and they can't remember a storm like this one.

“Oh no, no. Never. For that long? Never seen thunder and lightning that long,” said Jerry.

The family said they were already planning to cut down that tree.

No one was injured and a woodshed was the only thing to be damaged.