SYDNEY, Australia (AP) � A man shocked authorities after he released so much
static electricity from his jacket, he left burn marks in the carpet of a
business.
Fire officials in Victoria state said the man, Frank Clewer, had built up at
least 30,000 volts of static electricity in his jacket simply by walking around
the city of Warrnambool, according to a report by the Australian Broadcasting
Corp.

He received his first shock when he walked into a local business Thursday
afternoon. "It sounded almost like a firecracker or something like that,"
Clewer told the ABC.

Burns less than an inch in diameter were left on the carpet where he had been
standing, the report said. ABC did not say if Clewer was injured.

Fire officials evacuated the building, fearing the incident might trigger
electrical problems, but let Clewer go, the report said.

When he got in his car, Clewer's problems continued.

"I actually scorched a piece of plastic I had on the floor of the car," he
said.

Fire officials took Clewer's jacket and said it continued to give off voltage.

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