Exaggeration a kinda white lie?

A week or so ago, the famous massively large statue of Christ the Redeemer which overlooks the city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil... was struck by a bolt of lightning, causing damage to its head and one of the outstretched hands. After googling the incident, I learned it wasn't the first time this had happened. It attracted another 'bolt from the blue' in February 2008!

I thought lightning 'never strikes twice in the same spot'. Dare we imagine there might be some extra-ordinary reason for this apparent departure from the 'norm'?