Tribune de Genève.
According to the newspaper, a man was struck by lightning in Switzerland while taking water from a public fountain last week.
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Last Wednesday an ambulance was called to Chemin de Saule in Bernex, outside Geneva. At around 5pm on 28 June 2017, a man was struck by lightning while taking water from the fountain, according to witnesses at the scene.
The lightning, looking for the fastest route to the earth, appears to have entered via the man’s shoulder and exited from the base of his back, according to Geneva police officer Jean-Philippe Brandt.
Dr Marc Niquille, told Tribune de Genève that the patient was seriously injured and was suffering from burn wounds after being struck by lightning. Dr Niquille said it was unusual for this to happen in an urban area, even if it was next to a fountain, a highly conductive medium.
This is the first time since the beginning of the year that someone has been admitted to HUG, Geneva’s main hospital, after being struck by lightning. Dr Niquille only remembers one registered case over the last two years occurring in Geneva.
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Tribune de Genève article (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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