Boy killed, another in hospital after lightning strike

The fire team attending to the boy who was killed in the lightning strike incident in Papar.

KOTA KINABALU: A special needs boy was killed while his friend is in critical condition after they were struck by lightning when playing football in Sabah’s southwestern Papar district on Tuesday (April 25).

Paramedics had confirmed that Muhammad Zulqilfle Redzwan, 13, had died following the 3.55pm incident, while his friend, also aged 13, was reported to be in critical condition at the hospital.

The boys were playing football on a field in Papar town, some 40km from here, during the incident.

A Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said they were alerted of the emergency at 4pm.

A fire team and an emergency medical response services (EMRS) unit were immediately deployed from the Papar station to the location, he added.

“The report concerned two boys who were struck by lightning while playing football.

“Paramedics confirmed that one of the boys had died on the spot.

“The EMRS unit on the other hand gave first aid treatment to the other victim before handing him over to Health Ministry personnel to be sent to the district hospital,” the spokesman said.

He said the deceased’s body was also handed over to the police for the next course of action, adding the operation ended at 4.40pm.