Interesting the way you phrased that it is "new ground" for you. I've been to lots of lightning strikes. CHECK YOUR GROUNDS !!!!! I've found mostly improperly grounded objects attract them. Your friend took a surge, not a strike, or there would be lots of different evidence here, and it would be burned. Water meter/pressure reducer bonded around ? ground rods or other electrode have low impedance? you're gonna find one of these wrong, improper, or weak, no doubt. Even had one guy who built a house on top of a strip mine (beautiful flat area) who had problems after installing a satellite dish, guess what.... unbonded. new grounds, + a ground rod at the dish, end of problems, even after 5 electrical contractors had attempted to repair the problem. Sandy soil, probably oughta consider ground ring, lemme know if I can help, been there, scratched all the hair off my head until I began looking for the obvious.
