What started out as a routine stop for gas ended in a near death experience for a New York man yesterday.
Take a look at this ... Surveillance cameras captured this video of a lightning bolt hitting the parking lot.

William Hall was paying for his gas at the time.. after you see the flash.. you can see him fall over..

"I started pumping gas and I saw a very bright orange light.. followed by a very bright white light.. and then total darkness and i went out.. i felt numb shaky.. hard to catch my breath.. my heart was beating really rapid..", says William.

Besides some small blisters on his elbow.. Hall doesn't have any physical signs of the encounter.

Video here