The hospital treating the critically injured 14-year-old girl from the lightning strike in Delmenhorst, Germany, has announced her death.
Details of the Incident
According to PressePortal, the event occurred on Sunday, July 21, 2024, at 3:40 p.m. in Delmenhorst's "An den Graften" park.
A family of eight sought shelter from an approaching storm under a tree near a public barbecue area when lightning struck nearby.
The lightning strike injured all eight family members, with the five-year-old boy and 14-year-old girl requiring resuscitation and being airlifted to the hospital.
Emergency services declared a mass casualty incident due to the number of injured people.
The response included two rescue helicopters, six emergency medical vehicles, five ambulances, and numerous firefighters.
Current Status
Among the injured were two children with life-threatening injuries: the five-year-old boy and the 14-year-old girl who has since passed away. Both children remain in need of intensive medical care.
The mother, who was also seriously injured, and a nine-year-old girl are recovering well and are expected to be released from the hospital soon.
The twelve-year-old son sustained minor injuries and was released from the hospital on Monday.
The two-year-old daughter was kept in the hospital for observation but is otherwise unharmed.
The 40-year-old father and a 31-year-old relative were able to return home on Sunday.
Psychological support was provided to the slightly injured family members by a crisis intervention team. Similar support was offered to emergency responders, fire brigade, and police that same evening.
