A herd of elephants in India had a lucky escape when an electricity transformer exploded as they passed.

The five elephants were being chased away from the Periyanaickenpalayam neighborhood of Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu state.

Right after passing a transformer, it exploded, possibly as a result of their contact with a cable hanging from the transformer moments before.

All five, which included a calf, ran into the jungle after the incident.

Forest department officials had begun chasing the elephants after villagers alerted them at around 4am.