Lightning suddenly fell during football training in the Pas-de-Calais. Two young footballers were seriously injured. One of them had a cardiac arrest.
Several teenagers, members of a football club, were struck by lightning Tuesday night as they were training at the stadium of Saint-Nicolas-lez-Arras (Pas-de-Calais) and the vital prognosis is committed to one of them, according to concordant sources.
“A violent lightning strike came down at 6.30pm” on the stadium, “while a group of teenagers members of the local club was training with (his) educator,” said to the prefecture of the Pas-de-France. Calais, confirming information from France 3.
The group consisted of 24 adolescents, all aged 13 to 15 years old. Among them, “a young person is in a worrying state and was transported to Lille University Hospital,” the prefecture continued.
A young person in cardiac arrest
According to a medical source at the hospital, “this young person suffered a cardiac arrest, was revived by the Arras SAMU, then transferred to Lille in pediatric resuscitation”, and “his vital prognosis is critical”.
Another young man “is seriously injured” but “in a stationary state,” added the prefecture.
Also transferred to Lille University Hospital, “he is currently in pediatric emergencies but his condition does not inspire concern,” it was said in the hospital.
According to the prefecture, “eight other young people, as well as their educator is under medical supervision” and “14 were shocked but are out of danger”.
“Like a gunshot”
A medico-psychological emergency cell “will be set up at the hospital centre of Arras for those involved and their families”.
According to Alain Cayet , mayor of Saint-Nicolas-lez-Arras, the arrival of lightning, very sudden, surprised everyone “like a cannon”.
At the beginning of the training, “the weather was perfectly normal, there was nothing to suggest that such an intense thunderbolt could fall on these youngsters, there was no wind, no rain, no thunder, “he said.
Meteo France on Tuesday placed the five departments of the Hauts-de-France region in orange vigilance “due to a stormy episode with hail and violent gusts of wind”, from 4pm and until 10pm.
