How Did This Ladder Melt The Ground?

A recent incident captured on video shows asphalt violently bubbling and charring, likely caused by a metallic ladder falling onto a live power line and creating a conductive path to ground. Despite the dramatic surface damage, the ladder remains largely intact. This can be explained by the difference in electrical resistance: aluminum, a highly conductive material, allows current to flow with minimal heating, whereas asphalt and concrete offer much higher resistance. The result is localized heating at the point of contact with the ground, where electrical energy is converted into thermal energy. In such scenarios, overcurrent protection systems like circuit breakers are expected to trip rapidly to prevent damage. However, audio from the scene includes a firefighter requesting manual power shutoff, raising questions about whether the current was still active at the time. A second angle shows the ladder upright and no longer in contact with the line, suggesting that it may have briefly conducted electricity, fused to the ground, and then shifted position just enough to break the circuit. #science #physics #electricity #learning #explained