Lightning Deaths: A Retrospective Study Of Ten Years’ Period (2007-2017)
Lightning Deaths
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17986/blm.1457Keywords:
Autopsy, Lightning, DeathAbstract
Introduction: Lightning is a major reason of weather-related deaths and injuries. The risk of being struck by lightning is higher in those who work outdoors.
Methods: A retrospective study of 19 lightning-related deaths that obtained from the archives of ... were evaluated between 2007-2017. Information on demographics, circumstances, presence of the other injured or dead creatures at the scene, witness statements, information sent by judicial authorities about place of the event, external examination of autopsy, presence of visceral organ damage, and histopathological - toxicological findings were collected and analyzed.
Results: The age range of the cases was between 8-75 years and 15 of them are males. 9 of the cases were shepherd. The number of the cases peaks in June with 9 cases. 17 of the decedents were found in outdoor spaces. On the external examinations of 8 cases (42%) had Lichtenberg figure. The electrical entrance regions were head and neck in 10 cases (53%). Bleeding, contusions and lacerations, especially in the lungs and brain, were considered to be due to the blast effect of the lightning. Subepidermal blistering, elongation of the epidermis and dermis cell, intraepidermal vesicles and collagen denaturation were found during histopathological examinations.
Conclusions: Lightning is an airborne event that can cause death in outdoor environments. Lichtenberg figure, macroscopic bleeding in the lungs and brain, and subepidermal blisters in histopathology may be found during forensic examinations. Awareness trainings should be provided for the risks of lightning strikes in the society.
Downloads
References
Eken M, Ulupınar Y, Demircan M, Nadaroğlu Y, Aydın B and Özhan U. Klimatolojik rasat el kitabı. Devlet meteoroloji genel müdürlüğü matbaası. Ankara 2008;342.
Köksal S. Bulutlar. Devlet meteoroloji genel müdürlüğü matbaası. Ankara. 2007;66.
Eken M, Ceylan A, Taştekin A.T, Şahin H and Şensoy S. Klimatoloji II. Devlet meteoroloji genel müdürlüğü matbaası. Ankara. 2005;4-5.
Pincus J.L, Lathrop S.L, Briones A.J, Andrews S.W and Aurelius M.B. Lightning deaths: a retrospective review of New Mexico’s cases, 1977-2009. J Forensic Sci 2015;60(1): 66-71. https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.12546 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.12546
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Lightning-associated deaths-United States, 1980-1995. MMWR 1998; 47(9): 391-394.
Adekoya N and Nolte KB. Struck-lightning deaths in the United States. J Environ Health 2005; 67(9): 45-50.
Turan N, Birincioglu I, Bütün,C and Can M. Findings in fatal lightning strike cases. Turkiye Klinikleri J Foren Med 2011; 8(2): 59-65.
Akkaya H, Karbeyaz K, Kökçüoglu M.A and Urazel B. Lightning associated deaths during 1997-2011 in Eskisehir. J For Med 2013;27(2): 94-99. https://dx.doi.org/10.5505/adlitip.2013.98853 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5505/adlitip.2013.98853
Tıraşcı Y and Gören S. An analysis of the medicolegal deaths performed in Diyarbakir, in 1996-1998. Dicle Medical Journal 2005; 32(1): 1-5.
Özsoy S, Tuğcu H., Toygar M and Safalı M. Skull fracture due to lightning; a death case. J For Med 2011; 25(3): 217-222.
Doğan H.K, Demirci S and Günaydın G. Deaths caused by lightning strike: Case report of three cases. General Medical Journal 2007; 17(4): 217-222.
Demirel B, Yağan M, Balseven A, Cantürk N and Dinç A.H. Death by lightning injury: a case report. Gazi Medical Journal. 2007; 18:(2): 92-94.
Bütün C, Beyaztaş F.Y and Yılmaz R. Lightning-related death. Turk Arc Ped 2012; 47(1): 60-63. https://dx.doi.org/10.4274/tpa.1193 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4274/tpa.1193
Böhrer M, Stewart SA, Hurley KF. Epidemiology of electrical and lightning-related injuries among Canadian children and youth, 1997-2010: A Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program (CHIRPP) study. CJEM. 2018;20(4):586-591. doi:10.1017/cem.2017.49 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/cem.2017.49
Vanneste E, Weyens P, Poelman D.R, Chiers K, Deprez P. and Pardon B. Lightning related fatalities in livestock: Veterinary expertise and the added value of lightning location data. Vet J 2015; 203(1): 103-108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2014.10.024 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2014.10.024
Ventura F, Barranco R, Bonsignore A and De Stefano F. A unusual lightning death in an indoor setting. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 2017;38(1): 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1097/paf.0000000000000273 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/PAF.0000000000000273
Eke M and Soysal Z. Fiziksel zararlar. In: Soysal Z, Cakalır C eds. Adli Tıp II. İstanbul Üniversitesi Cerrahpaşa Tıp Fakültesi yayınları. İstanbul 1999; 751-753.
Albek E. Fiziksel zararlar. In: Adli Tıp Ders Kitabı. İstanbul Üniversitesi Cerrahpaşa Tıp Fakültesi Yayınları. İstanbul. 2011;369-371.
Dettmeyer R.B. Forensic Histopathology, Fundamentals and Perspectives. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. Frankfurt, Germany: 2011;158-159. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-20659-7
Cummings P.M, Trelka D.P. and Springer K.M. Forensic Histopathology. Sevil Press. Cambridge 2013;89-91. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511920905
Lanthaler M, Ströhle M, Würtele A, Ebner H and Paal P. Lightning Accidents in the Austrian Alps 2006 to 2014. A Retrospective Study. Wilderness and Environmental Medicine 2016;27(3):434-435. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wem.2016.06.039 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wem.2016.06.039
Spano S.J, Campagne D, Stroh G and Shalit M. A Lightning Multiple Casualty Incident in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Wilderness and Environmental Medicine 2015;26(1):43-53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wem.2014.06.010 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wem.2014.06.010
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2021 The Bulletin of Legal Medicine
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The Journal and content of this website is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) License. The Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) allows users to copy, distribute and transmit an article, adapt the article and make commercial use of the article. The CC BY license permits commercial and non-commercial re-use of an open access article, as long as the author is properly attributed.
