Massive ice chunk falls from sky, damages house in Massachusetts

Massachusetts: A substantial chunk of ice plummeted from the sky, striking a house in the U.S. state of Massachusetts on Sunday, causing damage to the roof of the building,

According to a report in the New York Post, the homeowners, Jeff Ilg and his wife, Amelia Rainville, strongly believe that the massive ice fragment descended from an airplane en route to Boston Logan International Airport. Thankfully, the ice chunk, weighing an estimated 15 to 20 pounds, did not harm the couple or their two children.

Describing the startling incident, Ilg said, "We heard an explosion, basically. The loudest pop, bang I've ever heard."

Reacting swiftly to the noise, they rushed upstairs to ensure the safety of their sleeping children, who remained undisturbed. Subsequently, the couple surveyed their home for any damage. Ilg recounted his discovery of a substantial block of ice on the back step, along with debris scattered across the backyard and roof.

"I had no idea what this was. It was hard to wrap my head around it. There wasn't a cloud in the sky," Ilg told Boston 25 News.

Given the nocturnal timing, precise damage assessment was challenging. While his wife contacted the police, Ilg identified a hole in the roof. He then climbed to the attic to verify the extent of the damage. Although the external impact measured between 18 inches to two feet in diameter, the internal damage was more extensive.

Collecting approximately 10 pounds of the ice fragments in bags, Ilg and his wife noted that a substantial amount still remained scattered around their property.

The Federal Aviation Administration is conducting an investigation into the incident.

The largest recorded hailstone in the U.S., measuring just under 2 pounds and with a diameter of 8 inches, descended in Vivian, South Dakota, back in 2010, according to Weather.com.