Palm Springs lightning strike raises safety concerns
THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ)- A person was taken to the hospital after being struck by lightning in Palm Springs Thursday.
Palm Springs Fire said firefighters responded in the Chino Canyon area to a palm tree fire and a person who had been struck by lightning.
Lightning strike survivor Sabrina Riccio said she was driving on Interstate 10 near Morongo during a monsoon in 2012 when lightning struck her car.
“My dog and I got struck, and I had to cross over all four lanes with no power steering,” Riccio said.
She said she eventually reached the shoulder, but the damage was extensive.
“The next day, when the car repair guy was looking at my car, everything was melted inside,” Riccio said.
CAL FIRE Captain John Clingingsmith said the time between a lightning flash and thunder can help estimate how close a strike is.
“When you see the lightning flash, if you count by seconds, whatever you come up with, divide that by five,” Clingingsmith said. “That’s generally how far the strike was in miles.”
CAL FIRE says people caught outside should avoid tall structures and conductive materials, seek shelter as soon as possible and wait at least 30 minutes after the last thunder before heading back outside.
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