Las Vegas • Two boys who were struck by lightning on Tuesday have been taken off respirators, are breathing on their own and have been upgraded from critical to serious condition, hospital officials confirm.

Christopher Dane Zdunich, 16, and Alex Lambson, 17, have been nodding and blinking answers to questions throughout the night, and Dane, who goes by his middle name, gave a thumbs-up sign to his twin sister, Kendle.

“It’s just been miraculous that both these boys are recovering so well,” said Leslie Broderick, Dane’s mother.

Lambson’s parents wrote on a blog detailing the boys’ recovery that Thursday was a “great” day for their son.

“He is a little agitated and strong,” they wrote. “It’s the Alex we all know and love.”

The early test results for both Alex and Dane include positive results, said Danita Cohen, spokeswoman for University Medical Center in Las Vegas, where the boys are being treated.

The two were waiting for a ride after school in their usual spot under a pine tree Tuesday when they were struck. They were within yards of Snow Canyon High School, surrounded by dozens of other students.

The boys have been kept under heavy sedation, and doctors were keeping them artificially cooled to prevent swelling of their brains. MRI results Thursday morning indicated the boys’ brain activity was strong enough for them to be removed from respirators.

Dane’s kidneys are still working overtime to flush out enzymes produced by tissue damaged in the lightning strike. He has had fluid in his lungs since the strike, but that seems to be clearing, Broderick said.

Damage to muscle tissue, including the heart, is common, said Dr. Meena Vorha, head of pediatrics at the hospital, on Wednesday.

Most lightning-caused deaths and long-term injuries are caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain and other organs because most strikes occur in wilderness areas where medical care is slow to come. But those aren’t big concerns for Alex and Dane because school administrators immediately began CPR and medical crews arrived shortly afterward, doctors said.

Both boys have suffered severe burns: Dane on the bottom of his feet and Alex on about 15 percent of his body, mostly on his torso. He will likely need skin grafts.

The strike also broke some of Alex’s bones, which will take time to heal, Vorha said.

Accounts in the boys’ names have been set up at Zions Bank branches to help pay for medical expenses not covered by insurance.

Doctors are closely monitoring the boys’ progress.

Making sure the heart is pumping in the proper rhythm is important, said H. Scott Bjerke, director of trauma at Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Mo. He said it is possible for the heart to stop again after the initial cardiac arrest.

Dane has been on heart medication to make sure that doesn’t happen, said his stepfather, Tim Broderick.

Also, victims of lightning strikes can have their eardrums ruptured, while cataracts may form in their eyes, Bjerke added.

Cataracts have been reported as late as two years after the strike, but most often it occurs within the first week of the event.

The long-term effects of lightning strikes are inconsistent and are still being researched.

via Teens hit by lightning are on the mend | The Salt Lake Tribune.

Pretoria – The summer’s first real highveld thunderstorm has claimed the life of a Midrand man.

Two men were hit by lightning in separate incidents in Midrand on Thursday afternoon.

The man who died sought shelter from the rain under a tree when he was struck by lightning.

The incident happened at about 16:45 where the man was handing out pamphlets.

Johannesburg emergency services spokesperson Percy Morokane said the man, who was in his twenties, was pronounced dead at the scene.

In the other incident, a man who is also in his 20s, was struck by lightning when he was busy loading goods onto a bakkie near the Allandale turnoff at about 17:00.

He was taken to the Carstenhof hospital in a serious but stable condition, said Chris Botha of Netcare 911.

Thunderstorm

The thunderstorm on Thursday afternoon moved over parts of Johannesburg, Pretoria and surrounding areas.

In Sandton and Fourways, it rained heavily for about half an hour and in Aukland Park, it rained for several minutes.

SA Weather Service forecaster Mark Todd said the thunderstorm developed early on Thursday afternoon between the Vaal River and Johannesburg and moved in a north-easterly direction.

“The Mpumalanga highveld also got a bit of rain but it is still too early to say how much,” said Todd.

On Friday and Saturday there is still a 30% chance of rain and thunderstorms in Gauteng.

Todd said, however, that the weather would pass quickly.

“We have issued a warning for a heatwave, which will lead to constant warm temperatures in Gauteng from Saturday to Tuesday.”

During this heatwave, the mercury could rise to 35ºC in Pretoria and 33ºC in Johannesburg.

By Wednesday, temperatures would begin falling and the chances for proper rain would increase.

“From Wednesday, the chances are looking up for proper, substantial rain,” he said.

via Lightning kills man during storm: News24: South Africa: News.

ST. GEORGE, Utah – Two St. George students remain in critical condition in a Las Vegas hospital after being struck by lightning Tuesday afternoon. One of the teens has apparently improved slightly, having regained consciousness briefly Tuesday evening, while the other young man is said to still be in a medically induced coma. The lightning strike happened at about 2:55 p.m. Tuesday while the St. George area was rocked by a series of powerful thunderstorms.

Alex Lambson’s parents say their son has been through a lot in the past 24 hours. They held a news conference in Las Vegas Wednesday outside the University Medical Center’s burn unit.

“He’s made some eye contact last night, so he’s aware that we’re here but at the moment he’s not awake,” said Lambson’s mother, Kaleen Talley.

Dane Zdunich and Alex Lambson, both 17, were standing under a tree outside Snow Canyon High School when the lightning struck. Resource officers rushed to the teens and performed CPR until paramedics arrived.

The teens were first taken to Dixie Regional Medical Center, but were then airlifted to University Medical Center in Las Vegas to receive care at the hospital’s burn unit.

The teens’ exact injuries are still unclear, but doctors say in cases like these cardiac arrest is a major concern.

“So the heart would stop, the breathing would stop or both. That is the most life-threatening cause and the leading cause of death in lightning strikes,” said Intermountain Medical Center Dr. Colin K. Grissom, MD.

Friends and fellow schoolmates were shocked by the news. Friends of the boys say they witnessed the lightning strike incident.

“We were seriously 10 or 15 feet away from the tree and we saw Dane and Alex,” said their friend, Megan Funk.

“We saw them lying on the ground, they looked dead, they looked dead to me,” said another friend, Stacy Benton. “We walked out over towards the tree and we just saw both of them laying on the ground and Alex had smoke rising from his stomach and we’re like holy crap, so we ran towards the school and said ‘call 911.’”

The teens had 2nd to 3rd degree burns over their bodies. They were put in medically induced comas, paralyzed with medicine so they do not get hurt moving around.

The Washington County School District spokesperson says the teen’s parents are asking the community for prayers.

via LIGHTNING STRIKE: Mother says teen struck by lightning briefly regained consciousness – KSTU.

BOSTON (FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) – A Rockland man is in critical condition after being struck by lightning on Castle Island.

Steve O’Brien, 50, is in critical condition at Boston Medical Center.  His family tells us that he was taking his normal post-work walk around Castle Island when he was struck in the head by a bolt of lightning.

The bolt struck his head and exited his back, causing burns on several parts of his body.  Someone revived O’Brien, but the family is unsure who.

O’Brien lives in Rockland but was born in Southie.  His family tells us that he often walks around Castle Island after work.  They say he’s a great guy and  hard worker.  The family is holding vigil by his hospital bed.

via Man in critical condition after being struck by lightning.

RUSSELLVILLE, Ky. — A 16-year-old girl in Russellville, Ky., died Thursday morning after being struck by lightning, according to the Logan County Sheriff’s Department.

The girl, Mary Ella Leid, was digging for potatoes in an open field behind her house when she was struck.

The Logan County coroner pronounced her dead Thursday.

Thunderstorms affected southern Kentucky and Middle Tennessee for much of the day.

At 12:35 p.m., trees were blown down in Castalian Springs, Tenn., on Rock Springs Road in Sumner County. Trees were blown down at Berea Church Road and Coles Ferry in Lebanon, Tenn.

Large tree limbs were down on Wallace Lane, just west of Hillsboro Pike in Nashville. Numerous trees and power lines were blown down across southern Dickson County.

Large trees were blow down on Baxter Road in Cookeville. Many trees and power lines were damaged across northern White County.

A tree blew down onto power lines in Summertown, Tenn., north of Lawrenceburg. Also, many trees down were on Polk Street in Tullahoma, Tenn.

via Ky. Girl Fatally Struck By Lightning – Nashville Weather News Story – WSMV Nashville.

CBS  Clayton Schulz told his worried mom nothing would happen when he was surfing — then something did. The 20-year-old pitcher for the University of North Florida was surfing with his girlfriend last Friday off Jacksonville Beach when a shark attacked his left foot. It took over 400 stitches to repair that damage. Pictures: Swimming with the Sharks On “The Early Show,” Schultz shared his story, saying first, hes pretty lucky to still have all five toes. He said hes lucky the shark reached his foot only. “Didnt even get into the ankle cavity,” he explained. “Tore all the flesh off, cut across the tendons, the four tendons across the top. Tore everything up, so it was pretty — you know, pretty — Im lucky to have a foot still.” The surgery took two doctors five-and-a-half hours to reattach everything except one tendon. Schulz, a surfer for eight years, said hes heard about shark attacks, but never imagined one coming after him. He said, “Sharks are always there, year-round, you see them jumping in the distance and stuff, but its never — you never think it would be you. Its such a rare — I mean, youre more likely to get struck by lightning, so its very rare. But you never think its going to be you.” Schulz explained he was surfing about 100 yards out when he caught a wave in to shore. Thats when he felt it: “All I really felt was teeth,” he said. “I dont remember everything exactly to the point, but — a lot of teeth.” He said he knew it was a shark. “I pretty much knew the way it grabbed my foot,” he said. “It was kind of violent. Didnt feel good.” After the shark let go, Schulz hauled himself onto his board, stunned. He said, “I told the others — there was another surfer there away from me and I yelled to him, I said, Man, I just got attacked by a shark, can you help me out here? He said, paddle in. I caught a wave in. He got the lifeguard. I crawled up on the beach, I waved at my girlfriend. She was laying there. I was like, Come on, I just got bit.” Jacksonville lifeguards ushered Schulz to an ambulance. As for the shark, Schulz said no one else saw it after his bite. Schulz said, “It went through my mind when I was paddling in, Is this thing following me? But, no, never saw it after that. You know, Im lucky. The surgeons did a great job. You know, when I first saw it after the surgery, it looks like a foot, still looks like a foot and it didnt look like a foot before.” The shark was so elusive, Schulz never even saw it — he only felt it. Schulz told “Early Show” co-anchor Erica Hill, “Never saw it. It was completely by surprise. You know, when you think shark, you think, you know, farther out than everybody else, but it was actually more in towards the shore. Thats why it really caught me off guard.” Will he surf again? “Yeah, I think I will,” Schulz said. “Its a scary thing, but the chance — if I get bitten twice, then — ” “Then you should look out for the lightning,” Hill joked. Schulz said, “Thats the sign I need to get out of the water.”

via Shark Attack Victim: “All I Felt Was Teeth” – The Early Show – CBS News.

July is the deadliest month for lightning strikes historically and July 2010 is proving no different.

A total of 21 people have been killed so far this year with 10 of those deaths this month alone.

Five people have been killed since Sunday, including a man struck down while riding a bike on Wednesday in Livingston County, Illinois.

All 21 lightning deaths have come since May 1st with 16 states recording at least 1 death including Georgia, Alabama, Connecticut, Louisiana, Missouri, Wyoming, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Florida, North Carolina, New Jersey, Maryland, Colorado, Texas and Arizona.

Georgia unfortunately, leads the nation with 3 recorded fatalities and all 3 deaths occurred in the Atlanta metro area.

While July is the deadliest month for lightning with an average of around 17 deaths per year, the summer months of June and August are considered to be just as deadly with both months averaging around 12 deaths per year, which brings us to lightning safety.

The lightning campaign that is being promoted is when thunder roars, go indoors and or if you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning.

After reviewing the lightning fatalities thus far this year, that campaign while good, for the most part does not apply to typical summer thunderstorms.

Thunderstorms during the summer months are typically random in nature and can pop-up with little notice, meaning you may not even hear thunder before the first lightning strike occurs, which may happen right over your head.

This combined with the fact that more people spend time outdoors (sporting events, boating, swimming, mowing grass, etc), has contributed to most of the lightning deaths and injuries so far.

Some of the deaths reported from sudden thunderstorms include a 53 year old golfer in Tucson, Arizona, a 15 year old swimmer in Huntsville, Alabama, a 53 year old motorcyclist in Chaffee County, Colorado and a 40 year old man walking on St. Joe Beach, Florida.

These are all people who didn’t just ignore approaching lightning storms, but were caught off guard by pop-up random thunderstorms that developed near or over their area.

In the case of the recent Florida lightning death on Sunday, the man and his family saw signs of darkening clouds and began leaving the beach, when he was struck and killed.   There was no thunder before the deadly lightning strike occurred.

While recognizing the signs of developing thunderstorms are considered one of the tips for lightning safety, it should be the main safety tip, especially this time of year and it should be included into a new lightning campaign!!

Some signs of sudden developing thunderstorms include darkening and building cumulus clouds and a sudden shift or increase in winds.

Whether you want to or not, you must literally become a weather observer when there is a threat for thunderstorms on a day you have outdoor plans.

(NOTE: The United States averages around 57 lightning deaths per year)

via US lightning deaths rise to 21; lightning campaign does not fit most summer thunderstorms.

ANNAPOLIS — The Maryland Natural Resources Police say it appears that a lightning strike killed a 63-year-old Annapolis man who died Sunday while jet skiing on the Chesapeake Bay, just south of the Bay Bridge.

NRP says it appears the man, Warren Douglas Smith, was racing back to port because of a thunderstorm. Investigators say it appears Smith was not struck directly by lightning, but was electrocuted by a nearby strike.

Another jet ski rider, 65-year-old Elmer Sappington of Severn, was about 75 to 100 feet from Smith, but was not harmed by the lightning strike.

NRP reminds boaters that summer thunderstorms are common and frequently occur during the late evening hours. Lightning can strike over ten miles away from heavy rain and storms.

Anyone caught on the water during a thunderstorm should move to land and seek shelter immediately. As a matter of practice, boaters should review the weather forecast before leaving the dock and plan trips accordingly.

via MARYLAND: Lightning strike blamed in jet ski rider’s death | delmarvanow.com | The Daily Times.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) Maryland Natural Resources Police say lightning killed an Annapolis man caught on a personal watercraft during a thunderstorm near the Bay Bridge.

Officials say 63-year-old Warren Douglas Smith and another man were riding two personal watercraft Sunday evening a half-mile south of the bay Bridge when a storm blew in. Smith was pronounced dead at Anne Arundel Medical Center.

Natural Resources Police say a preliminary autopsy determined Smith died of electrocution. Investigators believe he was not hit directly by lightning but electrocuted by a nearby strike. Smith’s companion, 65-year-old Elmer Sappington, was 75 to 100 feet away on another watercraft but was not harmed.

A final autopsy is expected to be conducted in the next month.

via Maryland Storm Death Attributed to Lightning, | WJTV.com.

WALPOLE ISLAND, Ontario – Police are investigating the death of a Northeast Ohio man, who they suspect was killed by lightning.

The 41-year-old Ravenna resident was out on his boat with friends and family on the south end Bassett Channel Friday afternoon.

Walpole Island Police say when the storm moved in, people on the boat tried to seek shelter in some reeds.

According to witnesses on the boat, they heard a loud crack and saw a bright flash.

Immediately after lightning struck, they found the victim lying on the deck unresponsive.

Shortly after 2:00 p.m. Friday, a 911 call was made and the Coast Guard was able to locate the boat and get it to shore.

An autopsy is scheduled for later today. The name of the victim is not being released until family is notified.

via Northeast Ohio Man Killed by Lightning in Canada – WJW.

A Cobb County teenager died after being struck by lightning Tuesday afternoon, police said.

The 16-year-old girl, whose name has not been released, was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, where she died, Officer Joseph Hernandez told the AJC.

Another 15-year-old girl was also injured, and she remained in critical condition Tuesday night, Hernandez said. The incident happened shortly after 5 p.m. when lightning struck a tree in an apartment complex near Austell, he said.

“Lightning struck a tree and the girls were under the tree when this happened,” Hernandez said.

The girls lived in the Windwood Apartments, located on Shenandoah Trail, Hernandez said. The teenagers had apparently been inside an apartment watching television just prior to going outside, he said.

The lightning was powerful enough to split trees in the complex, police said.

The Cobb victim is the second metro Atlanta teenager killed by lightning in two weeks. Eric West, who had recently moved to Henry County, died June 30 when he was struck by lightning in his McDonough neighborhood.

via Teen dies after being struck by lightning  | ajc.com.

Details are sketchy Tuesday night, but a construction worker is being treated at a Peoria hospital after he was struck by lightning.

The unidentified worker was injured about 6:30 Tuesday night, as storms moved through the area of Washburn.

A Metamora Ambulance crew transported the man to OSF St. Francis Medical Center for treatment of his injuries and stabilization before he could be transferred to Memorial Burn Center in Springfield.

via Worker Struck By Lightning In Washburn | WEEK News 25 – News, Sports, Weather – Peoria, Illinois | Local News.

DELRAY BEACH — A man was taken to Delray Medical Center Friday evening after reports that he was struck by lightning.

Delray Beach Fire Rescue found the man, in his late 20s, near the Oakmont development on Old Germantown Road around 9 p.m.

The man, whose name was not released, appeared to be in stable condition was taken to the hospital for observation, Lt. Ed Beardsley said.

via Man struck by lightning in Delray Beach, in stable condition.

Standing next to his young daughter in waist-deep water off Fripp Island on Friday afternoon, Craig Morris felt something softly nudge his leg.

Seconds later, something pulled 6-year-old Ella under the water.

That “something” was a shark, he said.

The 37-year-old father of three quickly pulled the child to the surface.

That’s when he saw the blood and the 9-inch gash on the little girl’s leg, said Heidi Morris, Craig’s wife and Ella’s mother.

“He threw the boogie board they had been using (away) and squeezed her leg together,” said Heidi Morris of the 1 p.m. incident near the Fripp Island Beach Club. “Then he carried her up the beach and booked it to the fire house. There was lots of blood. You could see her bone.”

A Beaufort County paramedic and Fripp Island Fire officers treated Ella until an ambulance arrived and took her to Beaufort Memorial Hospital.

It took 22 stitches to close the bite. Ella was released later that day, Heidi Morrris said.

The family, including sons Jackson, 8, and Parker, 9, of Marietta, Ga., were enjoying the final day of a week-long vacation when the incident occurred, she said. It was their first time vacationing on Fripp.

“We just loved it,” she said. “Earlier in the day, I had even posted pictures and a comment on my Facebook page that we were so happy with our experience. Later that day, I had to tell people about the shark.”

A RARE OCCURRENCE

Emergency room doctors told the family the shark was probably small, between four and five feet long, Heidi Morris said.

Mel Bell, director of the Office of Fisheries Management for the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, agreed.

Ella’s wound looked like four smaller bites in a row, probably from a small shark. Typically, a swimmer would see the dorsal fin of a larger animal before it struck, Bell said.

“What you have with sharks is a test bite, to see what it is,” he said. “Then they usually take off, because you’re not a desired food item.”

DNR Sgt. Michael Paul Thomas said Tuesday there is no way to confirm whether the youngster’s wound was inflicted by a shark.

Because shark attacks are so rare, there is no protocol for reporting bites.

In South Carolina, the most recent shark attack that resulted in death was in 1883, Bell said.

“We’re still not sure what kind of shark it was,” he said.

In July 2006, an Ohio man said he was bitten by a shark at Hilton Head Island’s Singleton Beach. The wound required about a dozen stitches on his leg above his ankle. Authorities never confirmed the attack as the work of a shark, but the man said the teeth marks and puncture wounds were evidence enough for him.

In June of that year, a Missouri girl was bitten while playing in about two feet of water near the Breakers resort area of Coligny Beach.

Earlier in the month, a 14-year-old girl was bitten while swimming off Pawleys Island while a 21-year-old woman suffered a foot injury during a shark encounter off Kiawah Island.

Still, shark bites are relatively rare occurrences.

According to statistics compiled by the Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File, people are 30 times more likely to be struck by lightning.

Thomas said tracking the area shark population is not an exact science, but called the number robust.

“We always have a fairly large number of sharks in our waters,” Thomas said.

He attributed that to deep waters, healthy estuaries and plenty of fish to eat.

“Port Royal and St. Helena sounds are two deep areas for them to come into and spawn, and we have an abundance of fish,” Thomas said.

‘I’M NOT SCARED’

While the incident left her parents shaken, Ella was the picture of courage and composure.

Her mother was amazed at the child’s attitude in the emergency room.

“She was fine, acted like there was absolutely nothing wrong,” Heidi Morris said.

Since the encounter, the six-year-old has continued to be upbeat and chatty, her mother said.

“Yesterday (Monday) all day, she wore a shark T-shirt,” she said.

Her parents said they were happy there was no severe nerve or muscle damage. A doctor said Monday the youngster’s wound was healing well and she should be up and walking in a day or two, her mother said.

Minutes before the attack, Ella had been in the water alone, her mother said.

“We were lucky, because her dad came up and put his arms around her right before it happened,” she said. “I think she felt safe because her daddy was right there.”

“I’m not scared,” Ella told her mother after the attack.

She said something else, too.

“I’ll go back in the water.”

via Ga. girl ‘upbeat’ after being bitten by shark off Fripp Island | islandpacket.com.

Standing next to his young daughter in waist-deep water off Fripp Island on Friday afternoon, Craig Morris felt something softly nudge his leg.

Seconds later, something pulled 6-year-old Ella under the water.

That “something” was a shark, he said.

The 37-year-old father of three quickly pulled the child to the surface.

That’s when he saw the blood and the 9-inch gash on the little girl’s leg, said Heidi Morris, Craig’s wife and Ella’s mother.

“He threw the boogie board they had been using (away) and squeezed her leg together,” said Heidi Morris of the 1 p.m. incident near the Fripp Island Beach Club. “Then he carried her up the beach and booked it to the fire house. There was lots of blood. You could see her bone.”

A Beaufort County paramedic and Fripp Island Fire officers treated Ella until an ambulance arrived and took her to Beaufort Memorial Hospital.

It took 22 stitches to close the bite. Ella was released later that day, Heidi Morrris said.

The family, including sons Jackson, 8, and Parker, 9, of Marietta, Ga., were enjoying the final day of a week-long vacation when the incident occurred, she said. It was their first time vacationing on Fripp.

“We just loved it,” she said. “Earlier in the day, I had even posted pictures and a comment on my Facebook page that we were so happy with our experience. Later that day, I had to tell people about the shark.”

A RARE OCCURRENCE

Emergency room doctors told the family the shark was probably small, between four and five feet long, Heidi Morris said.

Mel Bell, director of the Office of Fisheries Management for the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, agreed.

Ella’s wound looked like four smaller bites in a row, probably from a small shark. Typically, a swimmer would see the dorsal fin of a larger animal before it struck, Bell said.

“What you have with sharks is a test bite, to see what it is,” he said. “Then they usually take off, because you’re not a desired food item.”

DNR Sgt. Michael Paul Thomas said Tuesday there is no way to confirm whether the youngster’s wound was inflicted by a shark.

Because shark attacks are so rare, there is no protocol for reporting bites.

In South Carolina, the most recent shark attack that resulted in death was in 1883, Bell said.

“We’re still not sure what kind of shark it was,” he said.

In July 2006, an Ohio man said he was bitten by a shark at Hilton Head Island’s Singleton Beach. The wound required about a dozen stitches on his leg above his ankle. Authorities never confirmed the attack as the work of a shark, but the man said the teeth marks and puncture wounds were evidence enough for him.

In June of that year, a Missouri girl was bitten while playing in about two feet of water near the Breakers resort area of Coligny Beach.

Earlier in the month, a 14-year-old girl was bitten while swimming off Pawleys Island while a 21-year-old woman suffered a foot injury during a shark encounter off Kiawah Island.

Still, shark bites are relatively rare occurrences.

According to statistics compiled by the Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File, people are 30 times more likely to be struck by lightning.

Thomas said tracking the area shark population is not an exact science, but called the number robust.

“We always have a fairly large number of sharks in our waters,” Thomas said.

He attributed that to deep waters, healthy estuaries and plenty of fish to eat.

“Port Royal and St. Helena sounds are two deep areas for them to come into and spawn, and we have an abundance of fish,” Thomas said.

‘I’M NOT SCARED’

While the incident left her parents shaken, Ella was the picture of courage and composure.

Her mother was amazed at the child’s attitude in the emergency room.

“She was fine, acted like there was absolutely nothing wrong,” Heidi Morris said.

Since the encounter, the six-year-old has continued to be upbeat and chatty, her mother said.

“Yesterday (Monday) all day, she wore a shark T-shirt,” she said.

Her parents said they were happy there was no severe nerve or muscle damage. A doctor said Monday the youngster’s wound was healing well and she should be up and walking in a day or two, her mother said.

Minutes before the attack, Ella had been in the water alone, her mother said.

“We were lucky, because her dad came up and put his arms around her right before it happened,” she said. “I think she felt safe because her daddy was right there.”

“I’m not scared,” Ella told her mother after the attack.

She said something else, too.

“I’ll go back in the water.”

via Ga. girl ‘upbeat’ after being bitten by shark off Fripp Island | islandpacket.com.

MCDONOUGH, Ga. (AP) — Authorities in Henry County say one of two teenagers who were struck by lightning Tuesday night has died.

Fourteen-year-old Eric West died during the night at Henry Medical Center, according to Henry County Coroner Greg Cannon.

Authorities say a 15-year-old girl was also struck by lightning as storms passed through McDonough.

She was also taken to Henry Medical Center. Her identity and condition have not been released.

via Henry Co. Teen Dies After Being Struck By Lightning – 11Alive.com | WXIA | Atlanta, GA.

A crabbing boat sits near the Tammy and Jerry Duff’s house in Liberty.  It was struck by lightning Thursday morning with her husband and close family friend Charles Weaver Jr. in it.

“He knew that it was lightning because of the way it sounded and the flash that was before him,” Tammy Duff said.

Charles Weaver Jr., 30, died almost immediately after the lightning struck the crabbing boat.  Jerry Duff tried to revive his friend.  He was unsuccessful.

Tammy Duff got a call her husband had been injured at about 10:30 Thursday morning.  The lightning burned Jerry Duff’s eyes and throat.  He had a headache and ringing in his ears, which his doctor said will go away in the next two weeks.

Duff was knocked down by the lightning strike.  When he got up, he tried to start his boat, but the wires had been burned.  He waded to shore and walked almost a mile until he could wave down help.  A passing tugboat contacted another boat to help him.

“From what I understand, it was 20 to 30 miles away,” Tammy Duff said.  “So how can you protect yourself? You don’t think when it’s sunny outside, that lightning could strike.”

Jerry Duff was treated at a hospital and is recovering at home.  But he and his wife have a lot of healing to do emotionally.  They’d known Charles Weaver Jr. or Buddy for more than a decade.

“He was here a lot,” Tammy said.  “I never fixed my husband a plate with out fixing him [Buddy] a plate too.”

Visitation for Charles Weaver Jr. will be Sunday from 5 p.m.-9 p.m. at Faith and Family Funeral Services chapel in Batson. Funeral services will be Monday at 3 p.m.

via Lightning Killed Liberty Man | liberty, killed, boat – Local News -.

CHAMBERS COUNTY – A 30-year-old commercial crabber was killed Thursday morning when his boat was struck by lightning on the Intercoastal Canal near the Texas 124 bridge in Chambers County.

Charles Franklin Weaver, of Liberty, was pronounced dead at the scene by EMS personnel. His fishing companion, Jerry Duff, 47, also of Liberty, was airlifted to UTMB in Galveston in fair condition.

A tug boat first came upon the victims after the lighting strike and alerted another boat, who contacted emergency authorities about 9:30 a.m.

The incident was investigated by Texas Parks and Wildlife, the Galveston County Sheriff’s office, Winnie Fire and EMS and the Chambers County Sheriff’s office.

via The Police News.

Smoke continues to flow from the home of 81-year-old Martha Smith after lightning struck it around 3:00 p.m. Monday afternoon setting it on fire.

“The house was burning and she was still inside. She didn’t know what to do,” said Chief Raymond Parke.

A nearby farm hand witnessed the lightning strike off Lost Fork Road and went to see if he could help.

“By the time he got over there, he went in the house and he couldn’t find her, so he came back around the house and then came back and she was standing by the back doors.”

Relatives say Smith was able to get out without injury. It took fire crews around an hour to put out the flames.

“The whole back side of the house was fully involved with fire and smoke,” said Chief Parke.

Family members say the 81-year-old lived here for around 25 years and they say she’s now staying with relatives.

As fire crews continue to put out hot spots, family members save what they can.

“The house is a total loss there are a few salvageable things in the house.”

Smith’s family says everything that can’t be salvaged can be replaced they are just happy the 81-year-old is safe.

This is the second fire set by lightning in Richmond in the past week.  A week ago today, a house on Highland Avenue was struck by lightning overnight. Firefighters had to cut holes in portions of the roof to put out the flame.

via Lightning Strikes Home, Elderly Woman Escapes Fire.

Smoke continues to flow from the home of 81-year-old Martha Smith after lightning struck it around 3:00 p.m. Monday afternoon setting it on fire.

“The house was burning and she was still inside. She didn’t know what to do,” said Chief Raymond Parke.

A nearby farm hand witnessed the lightning strike off Lost Fork Road and went to see if he could help.

“By the time he got over there, he went in the house and he couldn’t find her, so he came back around the house and then came back and she was standing by the back doors.”

Relatives say Smith was able to get out without injury. It took fire crews around an hour to put out the flames.

“The whole back side of the house was fully involved with fire and smoke,” said Chief Parke.

Family members say the 81-year-old lived here for around 25 years and they say she’s now staying with relatives.

As fire crews continue to put out hot spots, family members save what they can.

“The house is a total loss there are a few salvageable things in the house.”

Smith’s family says everything that can’t be salvaged can be replaced they are just happy the 81-year-old is safe.

This is the second fire set by lightning in Richmond in the past week.  A week ago today, a house on Highland Avenue was struck by lightning overnight. Firefighters had to cut holes in portions of the roof to put out the flame.

via Lightning Strikes Home, Elderly Woman Escapes Fire.

NORMAL — Although lightning is commonly said to strike the highest object, that demonstrably was not the case Monday morning in Normal.

Lightning struck and ignited an underground gas supply line in the front lawn at 605 Maple Place, Normal, causing a flame to shoot out of the ground.

Resident Vivian Huff said she was awakened at about 7 a.m. by a lightning blast that lit up her bedroom. When she looked out her window, she saw a 5-foot high, 2-foot wide flame burning in the middle of her front yard.

Nicor Gas employees later arrived. They unearthed and closed the damaged supply line and allowed the remaining gas in it to be burned off.

via Lightning ruptures underground gas line in Normal.

NORTH PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) – A 19-year-old man is listed in fair condition at Rhode Island Hospital after he was struck by lightning Sunday night in a treehouse at a North Providence home.

The victim, identified late Monday morning as Matt Leathers, suffered burns over much of his body during a fast and furious thunderstorm that rolled through the area Sunday afternoon.

Leathers had been sitting on the steps of the treehouse on Salem Drive.

His neighbor, Ariana Petrosinelli, said she heard a loud crack when the bolt struck. Leathers was knocked unconscious for a few minutes, she said. Petrosinelli’s mother called 911.

The strike was violent enough to propel pieces of the treehouse ladder 30 feet into a neighbor’s yard.

Around the same time, lightning struck a home on Fruit Hill Avenue, causing a fire that left the home unlivable.

via Teen in treehouse struck by lightning | WPRI.com.

A 70-year-old man was killed by lightning Sunday near Meeteetse, Wyo., officials said.

Robert Jesse Gurney of Torrington, Wyo., was fishing with his son at Upper Sunshine Reservoir when he was struck by lightning, said Park County Sheriff Scott Seward.

Emergency responders were dispatched at 1:18 p.m. Bystanders performed CPR on Gurney but were unable to resuscitate him. He was pronounced dead at an area hospital.

He and Richard Gurney of Lovell, Wyo., were leaving the reservoir because of lightning when the elder Gurney was hit, Seward said.

via Lightning strike kills man near Meeteetse.

A family of three was taken to the hospital Sunday afternoon after they said their boat was struck lightning at the Thomas Creek Preserve.

The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department said the family called in saying their boat had been hit by lightning.

JFRD met them at the Thomas Creek Boat Ramp on Ethel Road in northern Duval County.

The family described the lightning strike as a loud popping noise.

JFRD said they took the mother and father to Shands Jacksonville as a precaution; their son also was taken to Shands with life threatening injuries.

Lightning strikes increase in the summer months, and JFRD said lightning caused several structure fires in the last week and a half.

This is the start of the National Weather Service's Lightning Awareness Week, from June 20 through the 26th.

via Family Says Boat Was Struck by Lightning at Thomas Creek | Firstcoastnews.com | Local News.

A lot of lightning related fatalities lately.

William John Carr, the motorcyclist struck by lightning on U.S. 285 in Chaffee County Saturday during a heavy thunderstorm, died of his injuries Tuesday evening at St. Anthony Central Hospital in Denver.

Channel 9 News of Denver reported earlier he was on life-support after the accident and was an organ donor.

Carr, a firefighter from Pompano Beach, Fla., was riding with three friends about 4 p.m. Saturday when he received the direct lightning strike, knocking him and his motorcycle off the west side of the road into the ditch.

He received fractures to his face and head and numerous electrical burns.

Witness Dirk Peratt of the Rock Doc at Centerville saw the incident and was first on the scene.

He said Wednesday that despite extensive injuries, Carr had a “peaceful look on his face.” Carr's friends later thanked Peratt for caring for the victim until emergency personnel arrived.

via Lightning-struck motorcyclist dies in Denver hospital.

GRAHAM (AP) – A man has died after he was struck by lightning at an Alamance County home.

Horacio Ascencio, 19, died Wednesday in the burn unit at UNC-Chapel Hill Hospital. Police say Ascencio was standing under a tree in the front yard of a home in Graham around 7:45 p.m. Tuesday when he was hit by lightning.

His mother says Ascencio's shoe came off, his sock was ripped open and smoke was coming from his body.Ascencio's heart stopped, but he was revived and taken to a hospital.

Alamance County was under a severe thunderstorm warning issued by the National Weather Service when Ascencio was struck.

Witnesses told authorities that the sky was clear, and there was a light drizzle of rain.

via 19-year-old struck by lightning, killed | ascencio, struck, lightning – Local News – Gaston Gazette.

Clearly God has a sense of humor.

MONROE, Ohio – A six-story statue of Jesus Christ was struck by lightning and burned to the ground, leaving only a blackened steel skeleton and pieces of foam that were scooped up by curious onlookers Tuesday.

The “King of Kings” statue, one of southwest Ohio's most familiar landmarks, had stood since 2004 at the evangelical Solid Rock Church along Interstate 75 in Monroe, just north of Cincinnati.

The lightning strike set the statue ablaze around 11:15 p.m. Monday, Monroe police dispatchers said.

The sculpture, about 62 feet tall and 40 feet wide at the base, showed Jesus from the torso up and was nicknamed Touchdown Jesus because of the way the arms were raised, similar to a referee signaling a touchdown. It was made of plastic foam and fiberglass over a steel frame, which is all that remained Tuesday.

The nickname is the same used for a famous mural of the resurrected Jesus that overlooks the Notre Dame football stadium.

Video courtesy of WLWT. For more visit WLWT.com

The fire spread from the statue to an adjacent amphitheater but was confined to the attic area, and no one was injured, police Chief Mark Neu said.

Estimated damage from the fire was set at $700,000 — $300,000 for the statue and $400,000 for the amphitheater, Fire Capt. Richard Mascarella said Tuesday.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol was at the scene Tuesday to prevent traffic jams and potential accidents from motorists stopping along the highway to take photographs.

The patrol began issuing citations about 4 p.m. Tuesday to motorists for stopping on the side of the highway, dispatcher Adam Brown said. The number of gawkers coupled with construction had slowed I-75 traffic in the area to a crawl, the state Highway Patrol said.

Some people were scooping up pieces of the statue's foam from the nearby pond to take home with them, said church co-pastor Darlene Bishop.

“This meant a lot to a lot of people,” she said.

Keith Lewis, of nearby Middletown, arrived at the church around 7 a.m. Tuesday to photograph the remains for his wife. Lewis said he had viewed the statue as both an oddity and an inspiration.

Cassie Browning, a church member from Dayton, said she was driving home when she saw smoke and noticed the statue was missing.

Travelers on I-75 often were startled to come upon the huge statue by the roadside, but many said America needs more symbols like it. So many people stopped at the church campus that church officials had to build a walkway to accommodate them.

Bishop said the statue will be rebuilt.

“It will be back, but this time we are going to try for something fireproof,” she said.

The 4,000-member, nondenominational church was founded by Bishop and her husband, former horse trader Lawrence Bishop.

Lawrence Bishop said in 2004 he was trying to help people, not impress them, with the statue. He said his wife proposed the Jesus figure as a beacon of hope and salvation.

via 6-story Jesus statue in Ohio struck by lightning – Yahoo! News.

In a stroke of bad luck and extreme irony, a Broward County firefighter was killed when he was struck by lightning as he visited a sacred firefighter memorial in Colorado.

William Carr worked for the Broward Sheriff's Fire Rescue in Pompano Beach and was an executive of the firefighter's union, which released the information Wednesday.

“He was truly one of the good guys who will be truly missed,” wrote union president Walter Dix.

Carr, 53, was riding his motorcycle with several other firefighters near Denver when he took a direct hit from a lightning bolt this weekend. None of the other riders were injured, but Carr was taken to a Denver hospital where he later died.

The motorcycle group was on their way to visit the International Association of Fire Fighters Fallen Firefighter memorial, which was set up to honor men who gave their lives in the line of duty.

via Firefighter Killed By Lightning at Firefighter’s Memorial | NBC Miami.

A 14-year-old boy who was struck by lightning during Tuesday night’s thunderstorms remained hospitalized Wednesday.

Forsyth County Fire Capt. Jason Shivers said the incident occurred about 7:30 p.m. off Jot-Em-Down Road in north Forsyth.

The teenager, whose name has not been released, had just finished riding off-road motorcycles with two friends when the lightning struck the group, Shivers said.

He said all three were knocked to the ground by the strike, but only the 14-year-old remained down.

When the other two boys found that the teen was not breathing and had no pulse, Shivers said, they called for help and began CPR.

They were still trying to revive him a few minutes later when firefighters arrived and took over.

Emergency workers took the teen to Northside Hospital-Forsyth, from where he was later transferred to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Shivers said.

Other than the lightning strike, Shivers said the county seemed to have escaped the worst of the storms.

Firefighters responded to a few other lighting strike calls Tuesday night, but there were no structure fires.

He said the department also assisted Alpharetta firefighters as they battled four blazes that happened about the same time.

via - Teen hospitalized after lightning strike.

HOHENWALD, Tenn. — He's a baseball umpire who was doing what he loved, but a few weeks ago, a sudden storm and a lightning strike nearly took his life.

Related: Watch This Story

Tuesday night, Patrick Baxter was back at the ball field where it all happened. As the clouds hovered over Memorial Park in Hohenwald, it took Baxter back to May 28.

“It was cloudy like it is today, then lightning hit, and I called the game up here, and then I went down yonder and got the girls off that field down yonder,” he said. “When I was going into the concession stand door, the lightning hit the door and jolted me pretty good. They said I had blue flames coming out of my arms and my fingertips.”

The Little League umpire was left motionless and in shock.

“I thought my heart was fixing to explode because my heart was racing. It just felt like stuff was frying inside of me. I was jolted by, I mean, a lot of electricity,” Baxter said.

He was rushed to Maury Regional Medical Center, where he was told that a man from Columbia died that same night from being struck by lightning.

Baxter’s injuries were minimal.

“I had a very major headache, couldn't get rid of it. It lasted for about two weeks,” he said.

On Tuesday night, even with storms looming, Baxter was back at work not on the field but keeping score inside the safety of the press box.

Even as Mother Nature got the best of another game, the man who's been helping call the shots on the fields for 22 years said he's thankful he'll be around for many more.

“It was just an accident, freak of nature. A good thing come out of it. I just thank God for that, that it wasn't my time,” Baxter said.

He still hasn't regained full strength in his left arm, but he said he's doing great overall. He'll continue with physical therapy and could be back on the field in a few weeks.

He said he fears being hit by lightning again but that he loves the game and the kids too much to give up his job.

It's rare to be hit by lighting, according to the National Lightning Safety Institute, which said 80 percent of lightning strike victims do survive.

via Umpire Recovers After Lightning Strike – Nashville News Story – WSMV Nashville.

ST. LOUIS, Missouri (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – The death of a letter carrier has prompted a safety warning from the U.S. Postal Service.

The postal worker was struck by lightning Tuesday afternoon in St. Louis.

A postal service spokesperson says the 34-year-old woman had just dropped off mail to one of her customers when she was struck.

She was taken to an area hospital where she was pronounced dead.

“One of our customers, who she just delivered mail to, saw this. The lightning struck her, and she was the one who contacted emergency rescue to pick her up and transport her to the hospital,” said Valerie Hughes of the U.S. Postal Service.

The post office says as soon as it got word of the accident it sent out alerts to all employees to review safety procedures during severe weather.

via Safety warning after postal worker killed by lightning | postal, service, lightning – Top Stories – WWMT NEWSCHANNEL 3.

JACKSONVILLE BEACH – A woman bitten on the leg in the ocean near 16th Avenue South has prompted the annual summer vigilance for potential shark activity.

The 18-year-old woman was bitten about 2 p.m. Thursday in waist-deep water a few feet from shore, said Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue Capt. Thomas Wright. She was treated at Baptist Medical Center-Beaches for the minor bite wound, which was described as an outline of a small mouth with teeth.

Wright said the woman was bitten by something, but officials aren't sure it was a shark. Barracudas, bluefish and stingrays can bite or sting, he said.

“Unless it's a missing limb or something, I wouldn't necessarily call it a shark attack,” said Wright. “It's likely there is a lot of life in the water right now. The water's warming up.”

He said sharks, such as black tips and spinners, are migrating to their nursing grounds as far north as North Carolina.

Lifeguards along Jacksonville's Beaches haven't spotted large numbers of sharks recently, he said.

The incident had little impact on beachgoers. Many people were still in the water near the site after it happened Thursday. Even more people were at the beach Friday, since that was the last day of classes for many schools.

Jacksonville Beach Mayor Fland Sharp said he doesn't want to downplay any attack. But beachgoers have acclimated to the ocean's realities.

“We've had a shark attack what seems like every two or three years,” Sharp said. “There were a couple things that looked like they were shark bites and a couple things looked like it was something else.”

Sharp, a former lifeguard, said people should keep shark threats in perspective.

“If I was coming down here and felt a little uncomfortable, just walk up to a lifeguard on a chair” and ask if there are any reported shark sightings, he said. “I think the odds are much greater of being struck by lightning.”

Sharp said there are some simple rules to follow.

“In the summertime, there are pods of bait fish that come close to shore,” he said. “You definitely don't want to go swimming around those because there are sharks and other kinds of fish that are feeding around those. There are sharks here and you just have to use some common sense about it.”

Wright said it has been about four years since a shark attack in the area and that was at the Jacksonville Beach Pier off Fourth Avenue North. The woman's injuries were minor then, too. He advised swimmers to remember the ocean is the shark's habitat.

“Just know that is their home and they are out there all the time,” said Wright. “Just because you don't see fins swimming by like the movie “Jaws” doesn't mean they're not there. If you're concerned about being bit or anything, you probably shouldn't go out there.”

via Attack on woman in Jacksonville Beach waters may have been shark, raises concern | jacksonville.com.

HAMILTON COUNTY, TN (WRCB)– A gentleman sitting on his front porch gets a “shock” of his life Monday evening.

At 7:00 pm,  a 9-1-1 call was received regarding a lightning strike to a 61 year old male living on Ledford Road on Flat Top Mountain. A family member stated the lightning struck the wet ground and the electrical current traveled to the metal chair the gentleman was sitting on.  Hamilton County EMS responded and took the patient to Erlanger with minor burn injuries to the legs and feet.

During these unstable summer storms, we need to always be aware of our surroundings and keep informed with your local weather media outlets on the weather every day. Lighting is so unpredictable and can have severe to tragic outcomes when you least expect it.

via Man struck by lightning on Flat Top Mountain – WRCBtv.com | Chattanooga News, Weather & Sports.

CHAFFEE COUNTY – Cindy Peratt heard the thunder and saw some flashes of lightning on Saturday afternoon, but she wasn't prepared for what that lightning would cause.

“There was this sudden blue light,” Peratt said, “and then I heard the loudest sound I've every heard in my life.”

When she looked outside the window of her store, The Roc Doc on Highway 285 near mile marker 138, she saw a motorcycle skidding. The driver of that motorcycle had been struck by lightning.

Peratt's husband Dirk ran to the man, who was described as being in a “fetal position,” while she called 9-1-1.

Chaffee County Sheriff Tim Walker confirmed to 9NEWS that 53-year-old William John Carr of Pompano Beach, Florida was struck while traveling with a group of fellow motorcyclists at 4:13 p.m. on Saturday. He was taken to Heart of the Rockies Hospital and then flown to St. Anthony's Central where, according to a spokesperson, he remained in critical condition as of Monday afternoon.

Cindy Peratt said Carr received a significant head injury.

“There was a hole in the top of his head,” she said, adding that the hair on his head and on one side of his body had also been singed.

She thinks that force of the strike was strong enough to destroy any protection that Carr may have had.

“We were wondering 'Why didn't he have a helmet,'” she said. “But then we looked in the road and saw his helmet shattered.”

Sheriff Walker confirms that the lightning did strike at the top of Carr's helmet.

Carr is a firefighter, according to his traveling companions who are also firefighters.

Witnesses like Dirk Peratt  are amazed that Carr survived the strike.

“Wow. That's wonderful but hard to believe,” he said. “I pray he makes it with no major brain issues.”

via 9NEWS.com | Denver | Colorado’s Online News Leader | Motorcyclist struck by lightning, in critical condition.

“Hey Dad, I’m riding a turtle.”

My 13-year-old daughter, Abby, was helping clear some of the weeds from our pond and was calling out to me while standing neck deep in weedy water.

I glanced over at her smiling face from where I was lifting out clumps of weeds. The claim didn’t make much sense to me and I figured this was going to be some kind of joke: “Nah, you’re not riding a turtle.”

“Well I’m standing on its back and it’s moving.”

“It’s probably a rock.”

“How much will you give me if it’s a turtle?” she persisted.

“I’ll give you five bucks.” I was starting to think maybe she was really riding a turtle.

“If you’re really on a snapping turtle you’d probably better just swim away, those things have a bite.”

“I really want to catch him. Bring over a bucket so I can throw him in it when I get him.”

I waded over with a medium-sized bucket.

“That’s not big enough.”

I waded back with five gallon bucket. Abby paused. “What are you doing, Abby?”

“Praying.”

The next moment Abby went down under water while I stood with the bucket at the ready.

She came up with a huge snapping monster which she quickly pitched into the bucket.

We took this beast onto shore and surveyed him as he easily snapped off finger-thick sticks with lightning strikes from his powerful jaws.

I was picturing my daughter’s fingers.

“Abby, next time you’re riding a turtle just swim away. But, I have to say, I believe that’s a $10 turtle.”

Snapping turtles are just one of the dangerous creatures folks encounter in east Tennessee. However snappers almost never bother you unless you’re actively bothering them.

Let’s take a brief look at the other potentially dangerous creatures you might encounter around the woods, streams, ponds and backyards of our area.

Let’s start with snakes. There are four kinds of venomous snakes in Tennessee: northern and southern copperhead, timber rattlesnake, western cottonmouth and the western pigmy rattlesnake.

The copperhead is a relatively shy snake, but they account for the most reported bites each year in Tennessee.

Roughly 50 percent of their bites are dry bites; meaning that when they bite, no venom is injected.

Fatal bites are exceedingly rare in Tennessee. Although there are 50,000 deaths worldwide from venomous snakebites reported each year, only 12-15 are in the United States.

Within Tennessee, only four deaths from venomous snakebites have been reported since 1960.

If bitten, the best approach is to try to remain calm and get to a local emergency room. Remove all jewelry around or above the bite area, since there will probably be swelling. But do not apply a tourniquet, nor make cuts around the bite, nor try to suck out the venom. These are outdated approaches that can cause delay, tissue damage, and infection. Don’t try to capture the snake since anti venom is the same for all Tennessee snakes and trying to capture the snake only increases the chances of a second snakebite victim. On average, bites from copperheads result in a week of pain, eleven days of extremity swelling, and two weeks of missed work.

Moving to the smaller culprits, there are two spiders of concern: the black widow and the brown recluse. The black widow is black with a telltale yellow or red hourglass marking on its underside. They are often found in basements, woodpiles and rock walls. Symptoms of a bite may include profuse sweating, nausea, vomiting, headache, and muscle spasms.

The brown recluse hides out in unused shoes, attics, closets and boxes. Its venom destroys tissue. Pain may occur at the bite site six to eight hours afterwards. At 48 hours, there may be itching, redness, blisters, and then a dark crust may form at the bite site followed by sloughing off of some tissue. A visit to the doctor would be wise after a bite from either of these two venomous spiders.

Tennessee is also home to two species of scorpion, the southern unstriped scorpion and the introduced striped Scorpion. Rocky hillsides, rock or brick walls, crawl spaces, and log piles are favorite scorpion habitats. The sting of these scorpions is considered mild. The sensation is a sharp pain that usually lasts for 15 to 20 minutes.

What about fish? The dorsal and pectoral fins of many species of catfish, particularly the small mad toms, have venomous spines that can inflict painful wounds, though generally not life threatening.

Then, of course, there are the red and the black fire ants, bees, wasps, and hornets.

If you should get bitten or stung by any of these creatures, be sure to get immediate medical attention if any of the following occur: Difficulty breathing, swelling of the lips or throat, slurred speech, chest pain, faintness, rapid heart rate, nausea, cramping, vomiting, or a known venomous snakebite.

In spite of all these worrisome critters, the outdoors is still hard to beat here in east Tennessee. So enjoy it! But keep your eyes open.

via Dangerous creatures could ruin a summer.

A house in the 900 block of Northwestern Avenue in West Lafayette was struck by lightning Saturday evening, causing flames and smoke to erupt in the basement.

The lightning hit the gutter and downspout on the outside of the house at 908 Northwestern Ave., causing a short in the electrical panel in the basement of the house, which ignited the fire, said Lt. Don Callahan with the West Lafayette Fire Department.

Homeowners Brenda and Wayne Chesterman were at home when the lightning struck amid a storm that caused wind damage elsewhere in the county and reports of funnel clouds.

“When it hit, I was sitting in the front room,” Brenda said. “I did see sparks falling from the electrical wire and I thought it had hit the roof.”

Wayne Chesterman said he called 911 at 6:48 p.m., a few minutes after the lightning struck.

Callahan said the fire was contained to the basement. No one was injured, and there was limited smoke and fire damage inside the home. However, firefighters had to remove a portion of exterior siding to get to the fire's source.

via Basement catches fire after house struck by lightning | jconline.com | Journal and Courier.

A house in the 900 block of Northwestern Avenue in West Lafayette was struck by lightning Saturday evening, causing flames and smoke to erupt in the basement.

The lightning hit the gutter and downspout on the outside of the house at 908 Northwestern Ave., causing a short in the electrical panel in the basement of the house, which ignited the fire, said Lt. Don Callahan with the West Lafayette Fire Department.

Homeowners Brenda and Wayne Chesterman were at home when the lightning struck amid a storm that caused wind damage elsewhere in the county and reports of funnel clouds.

“When it hit, I was sitting in the front room,” Brenda said. “I did see sparks falling from the electrical wire and I thought it had hit the roof.”

Wayne Chesterman said he called 911 at 6:48 p.m., a few minutes after the lightning struck.

Callahan said the fire was contained to the basement. No one was injured, and there was limited smoke and fire damage inside the home. However, firefighters had to remove a portion of exterior siding to get to the fire's source.

via Basement catches fire after house struck by lightning | jconline.com | Journal and Courier.

GOSHEN, Conn. — A teen and the horse she was bringing back to a Goshen barn were struck by lightning as severe storms moved through Litchfield County Thursday afternoon.

Police said the girl and horse were struck at Pie Hill Farm on Pie Hill Road just after 3 p.m.

The girl, whose identity has not been released, was taken to an area hospital. The horse was being treated at the farm where the incident occurred.

Marcie Grambo, who owns the farm, told Eyewitness News that the girl had been treated and released from the hospital Thursday night.

via Teen, Horse Struck By Lightning In Goshen – Connecticut News Story – WFSB Hartford.

NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) – Bahamas police say an American tourist who died while swimming in the ocean may have been struck by lightning.

Assistant commissioner Glenn Miller says authorities are still waiting for autopsy results to confirm what killed Larry Jackson of Hernando, Miss.

The 44-year-old tourist went swimming with his brother and wife Tammy shortly after checking into a Wyndham Hotel in Nassau's Cable Beach. Heavy rain and thunder hit the island around the same time.

Hotel spokesman Robert Sands said Thursday that Jackson was pulled from the water and his brother and hotel staff administered CPR until an ambulance arrived. He was pronounced dead on arrival to a Nassau hospital on Wednesday.

via Victoria Advocate | Bahamas: American tourist dies amid lightning.

He never got to pop the question.

Richard Butler was hiking up a North Carolina mountain with girlfriend Bethany Lott – and an engagement ring in his pocket – when lightning struck.

“God, baby, look how beautiful it is,” Lott said of the mountain vista just before the bolt hit her.

Those turned out to be her last words.

Butler, who was also hit, said “everything went black” and when he opened his eyes again “she was laying a few feet away.”

“I crawled to her,” he told the Asheville Citizen Times newspaper. “I did CPR for probably 15 minutes, and the whole time was trying her cell phone, but I couldn't get anything out.”

Later, when the paramedics arrived, a badly burned Butler used what remained of his strength to perform one last act of love.

“I put the ring on her finger while the EMTs were working on her,” he told the newspaper. “They are listing me as her fiancé in the obituaries.”

Butler, 30, and Lott, 25, both of Knoxville, Tenn., had set off for the summit of Max Patch Bald on Friday when it started to rain.

“I picked that spot because she actually said she would like to get married there,” Butler told a local TV station. “She absolutely loved the outdoors.”

And Lott was not deterred by the stormy weather.

“She hiked thousands of miles and spent a couple of years in Utah just hiking,” Butler's mother, Janet Delaney, said.

Then lightning bolts creased the sky, and one of them hit the lovebirds.

“I was spun 180 degrees and thrown several feet back,” Butler said. “My legs turned to Jell-o, my shoes were smoking, and the bottom of my feet felt like they were on fire.”

Another Knoxville couple raced over and also tried to revive the doomed hiker.

“They stood on the top of the hill doing what they could for probably 20 minutes until the rescuers got there,” said Butler, who suffered third-degree burns.

But there was no saving Lott, who was to be buried at a Tennessee cemetery on Tuesday with a view of the mountains she loved in the distance.

On his blog, Butler called himself “the luckiest man alive.”

“I was given a life with the most amazing woman in the world,” he wrote Tuesday. “I was loved more completely than I ever dreamed possible.”

Lott may be gone, the grieving would-be groom wrote, but “I have gained a constant companion in the wind.”

via Bethany Lott struck by lightning, moments before boyfriend Richard Butler was to propose.