Suppertime lightning

On Tuesday evening, at about 7:15 p.m., we began having dinner--Joan’s veggie pie with shrimp and smoked salmon--on the back stoupe. It was warm and humidly stuffy and soon we began to hear thunder and see the approach of dark cloud from the northwest.

We were forking up the last bites when the first drops of rain began piercing our Manitoba Maple tree and the thunder grew louder as flashes of lightning brightened the clouded sky.

It was just as I was following Joan indoors with the wine glasses and the table cloth when an explosive clash of thunder almost instantly followed a big flash of lightning. The rain came clattering down heavily.

The next morning, first on the radio and then in the Globe and The Star, came reports that the lightning killed a young man seeking shelter under a Maple tree at the north end of Christie Pits [see below].

Afterwards, setting out for a walk just after noon, I counted roughly 235 paces from our back gate to the site of the killing from the sky—a great, old Maple halfway up the hill to Barton Ave. from the first-base corner of the Christie Pits baseball diamond.

Two bouquets of flowers stood side by side against the base of the Maple’s huge, but undamaged, trunk.
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Lightning strike kills man in Christie Pits
Toronto Star July 9, 2008
A 28-year-old man was killed last night when lightning struck a tree in Christie Pits.

Just before 8 p.m., as a violent thunderstorm swept across the city, a bolt struck a huge maple tree overlooking the baseball diamond in the park's northeast corner. Witnesses said the victim had sought shelter from the rain under the tree.

Police said it was unclear if he was struck directly by lightning or fell victim to the electrical transfer after the tree was hit.

Curtis Puncher was sitting on his porch nearby when he saw the lightning flash in the park. After the rain stopped, he went to check the tree and found the prostrate man. "There was a guy lying at the base of the tree and beside him was a book. I checked for a pulse and to see if he was breathing, but he wasn't," said Puncher.

Puncher called 911, and performed CPR under the guidance of a dispatcher until paramedics arrived. The man was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The man was from Toronto, but not from the Christie Pits area. Police are attempting to contact his family, who live outside the city. An autopsy will be done today.

Environment Canada recorded 430 lightning flashes as the intense storm travelled across the GTA, said meteorologist Arnold Ashton.

The threshold for severe rainfall, 50 millimetres, was met in several places, including the Annex. A fallen tree blocked Bloor St. W. near High Park.

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Lightning facts

Every year, lightning kills six to10 people in Canada, and injures another 60 to 70. A lightning strike travels at around 220,000 kilometres per hour and can reach temperatures as high as 28,000 C.

There are approximately 2 million lightning flashes every year in Canada.

The CN Tower is struck by lightning an average of 75 times per year.

Protect yourself

Whenever possible, enter a building or some form of sturdy and permanent structure. Once inside, unplug appliances and avoid anything that could conduct electricity, such as radiators or metal sinks. Stay away from windows and doors. Avoid using the telephone.

Any metal-roofed vehicle will offer some protection. If you are in a vehicle during a storm, avoid touching anything metal. Do not park near trees or power lines.

If you are stuck in an open area during a storm, avoid standing near anything tall, such as trees. Try crouching in a low area, like a valley or a ditch. Do not lie down but rather curl up in the fetal position on your feet. When in a group, spread out and crouch down in the lowest area possible.

Myths: Rubber-soled shoes and tires on bicycles, golf carts and riding mowers do not offer any protection from lighting strikes.

Source: Environment Canada