2 Dead, 1 Injured After Lightning Storm Hits Texas Soccer Complex
- Posted on July 15, 2012 at 8:22pm by
Jason Howerton
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Two people are dead and another is injured after lightning struck a north Houston soccer complex Sunday, KHOU reports.
The Escondida Soccer Club was packed with hundreds of people when the lightning hit just after 12 p.m.
As the severe weather rolled in, people began to seek shelter. However, three men decided to take cover underneath a tree instead of joining the rest of the people under a nearby pavilion, KHOU reports. Lightning struck the tree, killing one of them instantly and injuring the others.
Harris County Deputy Joe Shriver was just getting to the athletic complex to begin his security detail when the lightning struck. He said it sounded like a bomb went off.
Shriver said it was like “Nothing I’ve ever seen before in my almost 22 years of law enforcement.”
“It hit the top of the tree and it’s just like sparks and fire going all the way down the tree and when it hit the ground it just dispersed out,” he added.
One of the victims reportedly had burn marks on his feet and Shriver told KHOU he saw pieces of bark explode off the tree.
One of the men was declared dead on the scene while the other two men were transported to Ben Taub. A second victim later died at the hospital.
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G-WHIZ
Posted on July 17, 2012 at 1:45pmSo, there are 2 who stood way-too close to the trees…durring a lightning storm…and BAM!! The perpetuall story of natural selection. They(individually) chose to be in a 100%-conductive rainy situation. No-one shoved them into it. The third was (luckey) not in direct-electrical-path and lived passed it. If he is still stupid, ZZaaaaP! Nature will eventually get’im. …another non-story!
Report Post »Binski430
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:38pmAND… Obviously those casting the stones don’t live anywhere near Houston, cause otherwise you would chalk it up to an everyday random thundershower. These storms appear out of the blue within 15-20 minutes of calm weather, and are gone just as quickly. Regardless of who the right hand belongs to, Mother Nature is the left hand you never see coming…
Report Post »Binski430
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 2:49pmWoW… Seriously people?!? I drive by those soccer fields everyday on my way to work. It sickens me to hear posters on this sight saying that they deserved it, or haven’t they heard of divine judgements. 2 people lost their life. If you knew where those fields were located you would’ve run for the closest cover too (which happens to be a stand of trees). The fields are flanked by 6 lanes of a toll road, forest, and a 4 lane road that runs perpendicular to the toll road with no real shelter nearby. The report also failed to mention that there was dime sized hail in the vicinity. It‘s easy to throw stones when you’re on the outside of the house…
Report Post »dannyo
Posted on July 15, 2012 at 10:34pmfor all those who wish to throw in their atheist views, mocking God, or making it political, may one of your family members be next in line for a lightning bolt..
Report Post »Pray for USA
Posted on July 15, 2012 at 9:49pmPlease pray for their families during this difficult time.
Report Post »antitheist
Posted on July 15, 2012 at 9:16pmWhy god in your omnipotence, did you allow this to happen?
Report Post »cliffchism
Posted on July 15, 2012 at 9:42pmI don’t speak for Him. Why would you mock Him?
Report Post »chips1
Posted on July 15, 2012 at 9:52pmIt just might be possible that they completed God’s tasks and He fullfilled His promise.
Report Post »MeteoricLimbo
Posted on July 15, 2012 at 10:24pmLest we forget the forces of evil are at work to….
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on July 15, 2012 at 11:04pmGod hates soccer as much as I do…
Report Post »battles
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 9:38amHas this person not heard of Divine Judgments? Having grown up in thunderstorm prone Houston, I and all other children were taught to never stand under or near a tree when it was lightening.
Report Post »rcw_68
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 12:20pmI really hate it when people like you post these kinds of questions in your attempt to prove there is no God. Who are you to question God? Who are you to tell God what to do? God NEVER said there wouldn’t be times of trrouble. God allows things like this to happen in hopes that we will turn to him for comfrort and guidance. We are his servants, He is not our servant.
Report Post »mattmo79
Posted on July 15, 2012 at 9:00pmSorry for the loss of life, but Duh, don’t stand under a tree during a lighting storm!!
Report Post »Too_Far_Gone
Posted on July 15, 2012 at 8:58pmPrayers for the familys ..
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on July 15, 2012 at 8:55pmThe ‘bomb’ was the instantaneous vaporization of the water/sap in the tree.
Report Post »godhatesacoward
Posted on July 15, 2012 at 9:04pmThanks Mr, Wizard.
Report Post »crazyrightwingmom
Posted on July 15, 2012 at 10:28pmI enjoyed Mr. Wizard’s knowledge! Thanks.
Report Post »INTHEBROTHERHOOD
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 5:53amstoic one….cant recall ever hearing vaporizing water sound like a bomb….but what does is opposite electron polarity when they collide., which is exactly what happened in that tree. atmospheric bolts headed towards the ground will be met with a counter bolt (charged opposite and higher in voltage) at about 3 feet above ground. the one from the earth, actually knocks the one from the sky back where it came from. the collision is the bomb sound. the amount of energy required to pull this off is incomprehensable, and even more miraclous is the time the earth has to generate it. at approximatly 150 ft above ground is when the earth senses it comming, and begins to react. in milliseconds its achieved. and ready. the young mans feet was burned from that process, not the bolt from the sky. lightning is no joke and this was a horrific event. from a spiritual viewpoint one can only wonder why? God surely knew that man would be helplessly caught up in the violent forces of His creations from pole to pole, yet were instructed to go forth and fullfill the earth. To say because of a non belief or say because of a fullfilment as reasoning to this event is almost criminal in stature. We cant begin to understand. my sympathies go out to everybody who loved theese children, and also to those before them and the many yet to come.
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