Lightning Strike Kills 9 Year Old Boy on Lake Superior Beach
By Delords - Monday, August 20, 2012
A lightning strike on a Lake Superior beach injured eight people, including a 9-year-old Wisconsin boy who later died, Minnesota authorities said Sunday. All eight were on a sailboat that took refuge from a rapidly approaching thunderstorm on the end of Minnesota Point, near the Superior Entry
to the Duluth-Superior harbor, about 5:30 p.m. Saturday, the St. Louis
County Sheriff's Office said in a news release. Lighting struck before
they could get off the boat, but one person was able to call 911.
The 9-year-old boy from Iron River, Wis., was flown to a hospital in Duluth, where he was pronounced dead. His name was not immediately released. Four others were taken to Duluth hospitals with what authorities described as severe but not life-threatening injuries.
The
sheriff's office said the others aboard the boat included Paul Voigt,
46, Laurie Voigt, 45, and an unnamed 7-year-old boy, all from Iron
River, Wis.; John Lintula, 52, and Vicky Lintula, 50, who are both from Wisconsin but their hometowns weren't listed; and Frank Voigt, 79, and Mary Voigt, 78, both of Pierz, Minn. The release did not say which of the seven were seriously injured or how the group was related.
Duluth
fire officials said Saturday that everyone had some injuries and the
group included parents and their two boys, grandparents and a couple who
were friends of the family.
Assistant Fire Chief Jarry Keppers
told the Duluth News Tribune the 9-year-old boy was found face-down in
the water by his brother, who turned him over. He said the other
passengers on the 26-foot sailboat started CPR, which was continued by
rescue workers who got a pulse back.
"It's one of the more remote areas of the city," Keppers said.
Except
for the 9-year-old, all were taken by boat to Sky Harbor Airport or the
Duluth Coast Guard Station, both of which are on Minnesota Point, a
sand spit also known as Park Point that juts about 7 miles into Lake
Superior from downtown Duluth. From there, they were driven in
ambulances to hospitals, Keppers said.
|
|
|
|
Get Free Email Updates Daily! |
Follow us! 
|
Follow our blog on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook. Stay updated via RSS
0 comments for "Lightning Strike Kills 9 Year Old Boy on Lake Superior Beach"