A 13-year-old was shocked by lightning while playing video games, and has thankfully lived to tell the tale. The moment will no doubt be one that the gamer isn’t quick to forget, and serves as an important reminder to exercise caution during lightning storms.
While many will never experience it, homes can be struck by lightning during electrical storms. People in the path of heavy storms are often advised to stay away from things like corded electronics and to avoid running faucets or showers while there’s a risk of lightning, as scenarios like this one are rare, but entirely possible.
13-Year-Old Survives Electrical Shock From Lightning
While lightning can pose a risk in video games, a 13-year-old named Vlad Skuridin went through the experience in real life. He isn’t taking anything for granted after surviving a lightning strike during an electrical storm while sitting in his own home. The Texas-based teen was playing games during a storm when a lightning strike hit his house and the electricity traveled through until it reached the gamer’s metal desk, before making the leap to his abdomen. The incident caused the teen to jump and start screaming, and was apparently frightening and painful enough that he thought he might not survive the incident. His father called 911 and emergency medical services evaluated the teen and determined he was okay and didn’t need to go to the emergency room.
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Although the shock didn’t cause any lasting damage to Vlad, the home wasn’t as unscathed. The electrical shock was significant, apparently traveling through the wiring of the home. The surge led to a fire in the attic and a hole in the wall, but thankfully, the house is otherwise intact. While Vlad is physically ok, the gamer was seriously shaken up, who now feels that “it can end whenever,” and noted that he was still feeling dizzy. No mention was made regarding his gaming equipment and if it came through the incident unscathed.
There are plenty of people all over who have successfully played games through storms without having any problems, but that doesn’t mean that it’s unheard of. Several Twitch streamers have been zapped live on camera, with the electrical surges sometimes causing visual and audio distortions on the stream. While some of these incidents have only caused temporary discomfort, there have also been cases of gamers getting actual burns from the electrical surge. In one unfortunate incident, a streamer got the electrical shock through their ears after the electrical surge traveled through their wired earbuds. Several controllers have also been permanently damaged or completely destroyed, as well.
While it may seem excessive to some, it’s not a bad idea to have an abundance of caution when there’s a lightning storm in the forecast or actively raging outside. According to Consumer Reports, wireless electronics like phones and laptops don’t pose a risk so long as they’re not plugged in, so it might be best to stick with handheld gaming and battery-powered devices to stay on the safe side during bad weather. Surge protectors aren’t able to protect against lightning strikes, so it may be best to unplug vulnerable electronics if lightning is expected in the area, as well.