Lightning strike on Colorado mountain kills teen, injures younger brother
A 15-year-old teenager was killed, and his younger brother was injured after a lightning strike at the summit of Mt. Blue Sky in the U.S. state of Colorado on Sunday, Qazinform News Agency reports.
According to the Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office, emergency crews were dispatched at 1:22 p.m. local time on July 26 after a report of a lightning strike at the Mt. Blue Sky summit that may have injured a person.
The Clear Creek Fire Authority, Clear Creek EMS, Denver Mountain Parks, the Alpine Rescue Team, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Sheriff’s Office responded promptly to the incident. Before their arrival, Jeffcom911 dispatchers received confirmation from a second caller that a person had been injured by a lightning strike.
Denver Mountain Parks rangers immediately began life-saving efforts on the victim, but he could not be revived. The Clear Creek County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as 15-year-old Levi Strobel.
A second victim, Levi’s younger brother, was airlifted by Flight for Life Colorado to a hospital in the Denver metro area. Authorities have not provided an update on his condition.
The brothers were hiking with three other people. Two adult men in the group sustained minor injuries and did not require hospitalization.
In a statement released by the Sheriff’s Office, Levi’s family described him as a deeply loved son, brother, and friend, saying his joy was rooted in his relationship with Jesus Christ and nurtured by the deep love he shared with his family. They said he showed courage and selflessness by trying to protect his younger brother in his final moments. They placed their hope in the promise of eternal life through their faith.
Authorities extended their condolences to the victims’ family and requested privacy from the media and the public as they grieve.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that a 19-year-old man was found dead in the steppe in the Aktobe region on June 22.