Six Soldiers Hurt by Lightning During Drill at Fort Drum
Source Watertown Daily Times, N.Y.
Aug. 22--FORT DRUM -- Six soldiers suffered non-life-threatening injuries Thursday night when lightning struck during a field exercise.
The soldiers, from the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, were taken by ambulance to area hospitals, according to Julie Halpin, Fort Drum director of public affairs. Their names were not released.
It was unclear how they were injured from the lightning strike, which was reported about 9:15 p.m. on Range 44, where the unit was engaged in a training exercise. Fort Drum emergency personnel, the Indian River Ambulance Service and the Gouverneur Rescue Squad responded.
The incident occurred one day after military and civilian ambulance crews and hospitals cooperated in a mass casualty drill in the vicinity.
A lightning strike in August 2012 injured 10 New Jersey National Guard soldiers who were training at a different range on post.
Copyright 2014 - Watertown Daily Times, N.Y.
