13-Year-Old Girl from Chicago in Critical Condition After Lightning Strike

A 13-year-old girl struck by lightning in Chicago is gravely injured. After seeing a lightning strike close by, a company owner and his stepson immediately concluded someone had been struck in a park when they heard screams.

(Photo : Photo by Felix Mittermeier on Unsplash)

Odds of Getting Hit by Lightning

Over 40 million lightning strikes hit the ground in the United States annually. Nevertheless, the likelihood of being hit by lightning in any given year is less than one in a million, and about 90% of all lightning strike victims survive.

The likelihood of being hit more than once is much lower; the record is seven strikes in a lifetime. Some things, including working outside or engaging in outdoor leisure activities, might place you at a higher risk of getting hit. Regional and seasonal variations can also impact your chance of getting hit by lightning.

A Terrifying Incident

Around 1:00 p.m., the Garfield Park Conservatory on North Central Avenue received a call from the city's fire department. After hearing about a girl in the park with a lady and another girl when she was struck by lightning, department spokesman Larry Merritt told Chicago's WLS-TV/ABC7.

According to Merritt, the girl was brought to Stroger Hospital in severe condition.

Around the time the girl was hit, the National Weather Service issued several thunderstorm warnings due to the severe weather system in the Chicago region.

Close by when the lightning struck, Daniel Jackson and his teenage stepson Jordan Garrett told WLS that they were frightened by the experience.

Garrett stated, "We could just make out the sparkles from back there, and then we just heard screaming." We just heard screaming, and until the paramedics arrived with her, I was unsure if anybody had been struck.

Also Read: Scientists Uses AI to Create Better Lightning Forecast Models

Lightning's Trajectory

Jackson claimed that he believed the lightning struck a tree.

Jackson, who was shutting up his Destiny Water Ice Co. store with his stepson, stated, "But when we saw the ambulance and the fire department drive up, we realized someone had been struck... I grieve for the parents."

According to the Chicago Tribune, conservatory employees were performing CPR on the youngster as she was lying in a field until the paramedics came and took over. After about 30 minutes, they took her to the ambulance.

The girl's family informed WLS on Thursday that although the adolescent is doing OK, the extent of her wounds is unknown.

Extreme Weather Event

More storms passed across the Midwest overnight, drenching areas of Michigan and the St. Louis region with rain, leaving around 150,000 Michigan customers without power on Thursday.

Recorded Cases

In the Bridger-Teton National Forest in Wyoming on Tuesday, a 22-year-old man was killed when lightning hit his tent while camping close to Enos Lake. His identity is still a secret. According to reports, the event also harmed another person. According to the National Lightning Safety Council, the fatality was Wyoming's first in more than 12 years since July 11, 2010.

According to data from the National Lightning Safety Council, the man's death was the ninth lightning-related fatality in the United States this year. Men have been responsible for eight of the nine fatalities this year. By August 2, the country had averaged 16 lightning-related fatalities during the previous 10 years.