Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au
Qld lightning strike injures 13 children
Thirteen schoolchildren and two teachers have been taken to hospital after a lightning strike in central Queensland.
December 8, 2020
Thirteen students and two teachers have been taken to hospital after a lightning strike at a central Queensland school.
The group suffered tingling in their legs after lightning struck Clinton State School’s oval about 1.30pm on Wednesday, Queensland Ambulance Service says.
The lightning is believed to have hit the ground between two trees on the oval where the children were playing during their lunchtime.
“The main complaints were anxiety. The kids were pretty wound up after the incident,” paramedic Greg Christensen told reporters.
“They were also complaining of tingling to the lower limbs.”
The group of children were aged between 10 and 12 years.
They and the teachers were taken to Gladstone Hospital in stable conditions.
In a statement, the Department of Education said the incident happened as teachers were moving students off the oval due to rumbling overhead.
Earlier media reports that students were engaged in water play at the time are incorrect, a spokesman said.
“Year six students had taken part in traditional end-of-year water slides earlier in the day,” he said.
“But there were no water activities in operation on the oval when the lightning strike occurred.”