A single bolt of lightning struck nine visitors at Yellowstone National Park who were waiting to see Old Faithful erupt.
While several complained of minor injuries, there were no initial reports of serious complications from the strike Tuesday afternoon, park officials said Wednesday.
According to rangers, all nine were either on the boardwalk or on walkways around Old Faithful Geyser when a small thunderstorm cell produced a single lightning bolt. Two people were on the asphalt walkway between the Old Faithful Lodge and the boardwalk that circles the geyser.
Bystanders had started CPR on a 57-year-old man, who was conscious and breathing when rangers arrived. He was taken to the Old Faithful Clinic, and then transported by an Air Idaho Rescue helicopter to the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls. His current condition was not available as of late Wednesday morning.
An 18-year-old male patient complained of shortness of breath. He was also taken by ambulance to the Old Faithful Clinic, where we has treated and released.
Six others with minor injuries had gathered next to the building under an overhang to get out of the rain and hail that was coming down at the time. They had various complaints of shortness of breath, tingling, or numbness. They were all taken to the Old Faithful Clinic where they were treated and released.
A ninth individual who walked into the Old Faithful Ranger Station and reported being struck by lightning did not seek medical attention.
Hundreds of visitors witnessed the incident, as they were awaiting the next eruption of the famous geyser.
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Comments
Awesome! I was struck by lightning once - it was a unique experience. I am so glad they lived to tell about this event!
Glad everyone seems to be OK! Wonder if it was caught on the live web-cam feed. Old Faithful has one if I remember correctly.
let the countdown for the lawsuits begin...
I would have thought the most vulnerable would be those sitting on the aluminum bench seats.
Addendum: Full disclosure - this is not a photo that I took myself.
Unfortunately the Old Faithful streaming cam was off line.
I don't think you can sue over a lightning strike, unless someone has figured out how to get God into court. So far though, God is not welcome in a court of law, so I doubt any suing will be going on. LOL
Anon, it has been attempted before because people blame the NPS for not warning them that there could be lighting. Apparently there are some people who still don't know that thunderstorms bring lightning and you should go inside. There was a case in the 1980's at Yosemite where several young men climbed Half Dome during a severe storm despite several warnings. Some of the group were killed when Half Dome was struck. For a while the parents of one victim did contemplate suing, but it never went far.
I was there + there was no warnig, we were @ midpoint of the trail when the flash happened.
There was know knowledge of a thunder storm brewing +there was a lite rain. Who would think that alightening bolt would happen in a lite rain, of course there was then some hail just b4 the balst. Weird All I would like is some shelter on the trail just in case it happens again. We did breakthe law + leave the boardwalk + hide under the walkway. But we were safe. A horn like on the golf course would have been a nice warning + please... maybe shelter every so often would be nice. A horn.... some shelter? HMMM