A 19-year-old excursionist died after being hit by lightning while taking refuge from an electric storm on the top of Mount Timpanogos, Utah.
The young man, whose identity had not been disclosed, was meeting early Friday morning with nine other hikers inside a small metal structure known as “Tin Shack,” when lightning struck the shelter.
The impact killed the young man and injured the other nine members of the group.
The tourists alerted the authorities around 6:00 a.m., the Daily Herald.
Emergency teams moved to the top of the mountain and tried to save the young man's life, but he was declared dead shortly afterwards.
The Utah County Sheriff’s Office (UCSO) said the rescue operation faced “important challenges” due to adverse weather conditions and the remote location of the mountain peak.
The sheriff’s office expressed condolences to the young man’s relatives and friends and also recognized the work of the excursionists and rescuers who helped the wounded.
Taylor Ehat, a photographer who was watching the storm on Friday, took a lightning photograph about the same time the incident occurred.
Ehat told NBC 15 that the first photo he took that morning showed a lightning impacting around 6:20 a.m.
During the day he showed the image to other people, but later learned that an excursionist had died during the storm.
The photographer also that his teenage daughter had planned to climb the mountain that day, but eventually decided not to do so due to weather conditions.
“I’m very sad that this person has lost his life,” Ehat said.
After the incident, the Utah County Sheriff’s Office reminded hikers the importance of checking weather conditions before starting a walk.
Authorities also recommended that exposed areas be immediately abandoned when there is an electric storm.
“If you hear a thunderstorm, you’re close enough to the storm to be hit by lightning,” a spokesman said.
Excursionists should stay away from exposed slopes, peaks and other elevated areas and seek appropriate shelter whenever possible.
The sheriff’s office specifically warned that small structures such as blankets, shelters and similar structures do not offer sufficient lightning protection.
The places considered safest are large and completely closed buildings or a closed vehicle with a rigid roof.
Mount Timpanogos, popularly known as “Timp”, is the second highest mountain in the Wasatch mountain range and one of Utah’s most popular hiking destinations.
The death of the 19-year-old represents the second lightning death recorded in the area during this year.
In July, a 59-year-old man died after being hit by lightning at American Forks Twin Peaks.
Friday’s incident again highlights the risks that hikers face when electric storms reach mountainous areas, where conditions can change rapidly and small shelters don’t necessarily offer adequate protection.
