Woman Struck by Lightning in Her Kitchen, Hospitalized

On June 6, a 50-year-old woman was struck by lightning when she was cooking in her kitchen in West Baoan.

Reporters were told by the Bao'an District People's Hospital on August 8 that the woman's limbs suffered from 3rd degree burns. At present, her vital signs are stable and she is in the hospital for treatment.

According to a woman surnamed Zeng, on June 6, there was a lot of thunder and lightning outside the house. At about 4:30 p.m., she saw a flash of thunder in the living room from the direction of the kitchen, and a heat wave came along with it. The burglar door swung and hit the neighbor's door from the shockwave.

Ms. Zeng ran to the kitchen and found her mother collapsed on the ground, her skin on her limbs was curled up, her face was burned red, the window glass above the kitchen was smashed on the spot, and the glass slag fell all over the ground.

Ms. Zeng hurriedly dragged her mother from the kitchen to the living room, and then immediately called an ambulance to send her to Bao'an District People's Hospital.

Ms. Zeng said that thunder and lightning came in from the kitchen window. At that time, the upper glass of the window was broken, and the burglar proof door was pushed to the door of the neighbor's house.

The patient's limbs had 3rd degree burns. The doctor speculated that a fireball was formed after the lightning strick.

Reporters learned from the hospital that the patient was actually burned by fire, with 2 to 3 degree burns on her face and limbs. At present, ECG monitoring is still needed every day.

Deng Jingcheng, a burn surgeon at Bao'an District People's Hospital, said after functional exercise, the patient's future actions will not be affected.

LIGHTNING SAFETY TIPS

1. Indoor lightning protection 

◆ Close the doors and windows to prevent the lightning from hitting the room directly or the spherical lightning from falling into the room.

◆ Keep away from the metal water pipe and the water pipe connected with the roof.

◆ Try not to call or answer the phone, or use the mobile phone to access the Internet. Unplug the power supply, telephone line and other metal wires that may lead lightning.

◆ Ensure the insulator iron pin of the incoming power is grounded, and the three-phase socket is connected with the grounding wire.

◆ Do not handle the clothes line on your balcony or pull it towards your window or door.

◆ Do not take a shower during lightning, because the water pipe is connected to the lightning protection grounding. 

◆ Don't put your head or hands out of the door or window, or touch the metal frame of the window.

2. Outdoor Lightning Protection

◆ Squat in a low-lying place with feet together and your hands on  your knees.

◆ Keep away from trees and power lines.

◆ Do not use your mobile phones.

◆ Do not carry metal tools such as hoes on your shoulders in an open field.

◆ Get out of the water as soon as possible and don't swim.

◆ Don't ride a motorcycle or a bicycle.

3. Lightning protection while traveling

◆ Check weather forecast and learn more basic knowledge of lightning protection before traveling.

◆ If you are sitting in the car or the train compartment, do not get off when lightning occurs.

◆ Pay attention to observe the landform and look for the low-lying place far away from the top of the mountain.

◆ When lightning falls in the wilderness, stop activities and seek the nearest lightning protection place, such as a cave.

Source: 惊雷！深圳一女子在家做饭被雷击倒，四肢烧伤严重

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