Sixteen inmates injured after lightning strikes US prison
Ohio and other midwestern states have seen severe storms in recent days, which have damaged homes and have been linked to three fatalities.
A lightning strike at an Ohio prison on Tuesday injured 16 inmates, one of whom required an airlift to a hospital, as severe thunderstorms swept across several Midwestern states, including Indiana.
The inmates were outdoors, transitioning between buildings after an evening meal, when the lightning struck. The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction reported that nine of the injured prisoners have since returned to the facility, while seven remain hospitalized, with one in serious condition. No prison staff were injured in the incident, according to a Wednesday morning social media update from the department. The specific nature of the injuries sustained by the airlifted inmate has not been disclosed. BBC News has sought comment from the institution.
This lightning strike occurred amidst a broader pattern of severe weather and flash flooding that has impacted parts of the US Midwest in recent days, leading to tornadoes, powerful winds, and widespread power outages. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued flash flood warnings for Ohio and Indiana and confirmed that three tornadoes touched down in Chicago's southern suburbs on Tuesday.
Visuals from across the region depict homes with damaged roofs and numerous downed trees resulting from the storms. At least three fatalities have been confirmed, including a four-year-old boy whose family's mobile home in Indiana was hit by a tree. An Indiana woman also died in a home explosion during a period of winds exceeding 100 miles (160 km) per hour, as reported by CBS News, the BBC's US partner. Police captain Rob Maynard stated that first response efforts were hampered by road conditions. While authorities believe the storm contributed to the woman's death, final conclusions have not yet been drawn. Maynard added that several gas leaks occurred due to the storm, often caused by large trees disrupting underground infrastructure. In Ohio, another individual died when first responders were unable to reach them promptly during a flooding emergency, according to Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.
Governor DeWine described the situation as "very dangerous weather" on Tuesday, urging residents to monitor news updates and exercise "common sense."
The storms have resulted in extensive power outages throughout the region. As of Wednesday, a power tracker webpage indicated that over 295,000 customers in Indiana, more than 185,000 in Ohio, and 145,000 in Illinois were without electricity.
The NWS advised, "Now is the time to plan for severe weather and flooding!" warning of severe wind gusts capable of felling trees, branches, and power lines. The Federal Aviation Administration implemented ground stops at major airports in the area, including Chicago's O'Hare and Midway airports, due to thunderstorms, with these disruptions continuing into Wednesday afternoon.