Lightning Strike Survivor in Ireland Saved by Her Sneakers: Report

Lightning is one of the most terrifying yet magnificent natural phenomena connected with weather, particularly during thunderstorms.

Statistics reveal that the chance of lightning strikes hitting a person is rare. However, they still do occur and any unfortunate human struck by it either ended up injured, incapacitated, or even killed.

In Ireland recently, a woman survived a lightning strike for reasons that seemed strange. According to reports, the lightning strike survivor named Caroline Blake was able to withstand the highly-energized bolt thanks to her sneakers.

Blake's doctor confirmed that it was her rubber shoes that saved her since the material 'rubber' is a poor conductor of electricity, based on reports.

Woman Survives Lightning Strike

The incident occurred on Tuesday, June 13, when Blake was standing at her kitchen sink in Ireland's County Offaly. She told RTE Radio 1 she heard a "massive explosion" and smelled something burning during the event, as cited by Newsweek. She told the radio station the incident set her back on her feet and felt disoriented, saying all she heard was the buzzing of electricity.

Blake was alone at home during the severe weather in Ireland on Tuesday, wherein thunderstorms with lightning strikes, hail, and strong winds covered the western and southwestern parts of the country. The survivor recounted to the station her husband was still on his way home when it happened. However, her daughter arrived shortly after the incident and she was taken to the doctor.

What is a Lightning Strike?

First, lightning is defined as a discharge of electricity, with a single stroke of it can heat the air of up to 30,000 degrees Celsius. The extreme heating of its surrounding air causes it to expand in a fast, intense manner, resulting in a shockwave that becomes a booming sound wave that we know as thunder, according to the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research.

Described as a "giant spark of electricity in the atmosphere," the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) acknowledges the creation of lightning comes from a "complicated process." However, we know in general the conditions required to produce lightning. Yet, it is still debated as to exactly how a cloud generates electrical charges and form lightning, the NOAA said.

U.S. Lightning Strike Statistics

Although lightning strikes occur in different parts of the world, there are places where they seem to be concentrated and are accounted for several injuries and even fatalities.

In the United States, an average of 28 people die from lightning strikes each year, based on reported cases from 2006 to 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Meanwhile, data from 2013 to 2022 suggests an average of 23 people die every year from lightning strikes in the U.S., according to the Insurance Information Institute.

Some of the deaths involved both direct and direct strikes from lightning bolts. For instance, a person can sustain an injury or die from a fallen tree struck by lightning.