Lightning Str!ke K!lls 13-Year-Old JSS1 Student In Owerri, Father Says ‘His Fl£sh Peeled From The Chest, Clothes B¥rnt’
Lightning Strike Kills 13-Year-Old JSS1 Student In Owerri, Father Says ‘His Flesh Peeled From The Chest, Clothes Burnt’
The victim, a Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS1) student of Emanda College, Owerri, was said to have gone to school on Saturday evening with friends to watch a football game when heavy rainfall and thunderstorms began.
A13-year-old boy, Ifeanyi Matthew Ebere, has been struck dead by lightning during a thunderstorm in Owerri, Imo State, in a tragic incident that has left his family and community in mourning.
The victim, a Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS1) student of Emanda College, Owerri, was said to have gone to school on Saturday evening with friends to watch a football game when heavy rainfall and thunderstorms began.
Witnesses said the boys ran into a classroom for shelter as the weather deteriorated, but lightning struck moments later, hitting Ifeanyi, according to an NTA News report.
He was rushed to a nearby hospital but was confirmed dead on arrival.
His father, Kelechi Ebere, described receiving a distress call informing him of the tragedy before he rushed home.
“I got home and saw that indeed thunder had struck and killed my son. You would think that somebody poured hot water on him. His flesh from the chest peeled. His clothes were burnt,” he said, struggling to recount the incident.
The incident has reignited conversations around public safety during thunderstorms and lightning strikes, especially in open spaces and school environments.
A health expert who spoke on the dangers of lightning explained that elevated objects such as trees, masts, and buildings often attract electrical discharges during storms, warning that individuals in open areas are at higher risk.
The expert also advised seeking immediate shelter in enclosed structures during rainfall and avoiding tall objects.
He further noted that lightning can trigger cardiac arrest due to disruption of the heart’s electrical system, stressing the importance of emergency response skills such as CPR in life-threatening situations.
The boy was reportedly buried the same day, deepening the grief of the already devastated family.
https://x.com/NTANewsNow/status/2058827840691269792?s=20
