Nine children struck by lightning in Paris

PARIS: Nine children and two adults were struck by a bolt of lightning in a park in Paris on Saturday and four of them have suffered life-threatening injuries, a spokesman for
the French fire-fighting service said.

Eric Moulin said the incident occurred in the Monceau park in a north-western district of the French capital.

Three children and one adult are in a critical condition while five others have only light injuries, he said, adding that the situation would have been worse if an off-duty fire officer had not been at hand to quickly provide first aid.

The children, aged between seven and 14, had been attending a birthday party in the park, Itele TV channel quoted local officials as saying.