'Literal nightmare fuel': Chilling footage shows electrical substation exploding during Tennessee tornado

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: Newly released security footage reveals the chilling moment a Tennessee power substation exploded after direct hit from a deadly tornado, sparking stunned reactions on social media.

Deadly tornado outbreak causes destruction and devastation across Tennessee

Tennessee residents are still recovering after a devastating tornado outbreak left at least 6 dead and over 80 injured across the state on the evening of Saturday, December 9. The hardest hit areas were Clarksville and Madison, about an hour outside of Nashville, where powerful EF2 and EF3 twisters destroyed hundreds of homes and buildings, according to AccuWeather.

On Sunday, December 10, rescue crews combed through the extensive damage left behind by the tornadoes, searching collapsed structures and clearing debris for any survivors still trapped. The destruction in some areas is being described as "unfathomable."

In Clarksville, the county's Emergency Management Agency reported Sunday evening that hundreds of buildings suffered damage, with over 270 left completely uninhabitable by the storm.

Dozens were hospitalized with injuries, including 9 in critical condition who were airlifted to Nashville. The tornado that struck Clarksville has been categorized by the National Weather Service as a catastrophic EF3, with estimated wind speeds up to 150 mph.

Huge explosion from collision of tornado and electrical substation

Newly released security camera footage from Saturday night shows the terrifying moment when an EF2 tornado directly struck an electrical substation near Madison, causing a fiery explosion. The substation is operated by Nashville Electric Service and sustained major damage in the storm.

As of Monday, December 11, over 14,000 residents in Tennessee remained without power due to the extensive damage to key infrastructure. In a statement, Nashville Electric Service CEO Teresa Broyles-Aplin said that several substations were damaged so severely that restoration timelines remain unclear.

For Clarksville residents, power may take even longer to restore. On Sunday, the county mayor announced that the city's Department of Electricity is still working to repair ongoing, widespread outages. Across the state, the tornadoes left over 100,000 customers in the dark at their peak on Saturday night.

Internet horrified by 'nightmare fuel' footage of electrical substation explosion

As the footage of the tornado colliding with the power station circulated online, a wave of visceral reactions swept through the internet, each encapsulating the sheer horror of the event.

One user on X, shaken by the intensity, remarked, "These videos are so scary. I cannot imagine what those that were close went through."

The fusion of high-voltage electricity and the unbridled force of a tornado evoked a deep sense of fear, as articulated by another user, "High voltage electricity and tornadoes are both scary enough on their own. Combining the two doesn't make either any better."

In a succinct yet chilling description, a third user captured the essence of the footage, labeling it "Literal nightmare fuel." The shock and disbelief were palpable as another person simply uttered, "Oh my god," mirroring the collective astonishment at the catastrophic encounter.

Adding to the narrative, a fifth user recounted a personal experience, expressing astonishment at a similar event, "Wow! I seen a transformer struck once and blow during a storm. I was in shock."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.