Story By: Feza Uzay, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency:  Newsflash

This is the shocking moment lightning appears to break down into hundreds of pieces and falls from the sky like a rain of fire.

The bizarre phenomenon appeared on the web in which lightning struck very close to a passer-by in the Russian city of St Petersburg on 20th May.

In the first videoshot by CCTV, lightning strikes the ground next to a man who is trying to shelter from the rain, hiding under an umbrella.

A bright flash appeared in the grey sky for a moment, after which a hail of what appear to be lightning fragments then fall to the ground.

The second piece of footage taken from another angle shows another man, a passer-by, walking to the side after a roll of thunder and a loud sound before once again the sparks can be seen falling around in all directions.

The umbrella covered the man from the sparks, but the passer-by was left clearly frightened but reportedly unhurt.

According to the local media, the bizarre phenomenon was caused when a fork of the lightning hit a metal structure above, which had disintegrated sending red-hot sparks from the shattered metal onto the ground below.

The video was first published in the group ‘Accidents and Emergencies of St Petersburg’ on the Russian social media website named ‘VKontakte’ where it got 15,000 views in less than a day.

The video received hundreds of comments including those who described it as awesome and “very beautiful, but also terrifying.”

The local media reported that bad weather was raging for several days in the region.

It is reported that recently there were thunderstorms, heavy rain, hail, and even a mini-tornado that passed through the streets, which scattered the roofs of outbuildings in St. Petersburg.