An Antrim man was not injured following a lightning strike that knocked him off his feet.
On Friday, June 2, at approximately 6:50 p.m., Antrim Fire and Ambulance responded to a call regarding a 38-year-old man who was struck by lightning inside his home garage on Old Turnpike Road in Antrim.
According to Antrim Fire Chief Marshall Gale, the 38-year-old man was standing inside his cement garage during a rainstorm when lightning struck a nearby object and the electrical current traveled toward the man with extreme velocity. Upon impact with the electrical current, the man was swept off his feet, crashing down into the cement floor.
Following the incident, Gale said emergency responders checked the victim’s baseline vitals and ran a electrocardiogram test to ensure the his heart did not sustain any serious damage.
According to Gale, the man was not injured, and refused transport to the hospital.
In all his years of duty, Gale said he’s never seen an instance quite like this one, and the victim was very lucky he walked away unscathed.
“Over the years, I’ve seen a lot of lightning strikes. The fact that it was enough of a jolt to take him off his feet, I was surprised there was no visible injuries,” said Gale.