A lightning strike at North Carolina's Fort Bragg injured 18 soldiers on Wednesday night, leading to hospitalization for many.
The Fayetteville Observer reported that the strike happened around 8:10 p.m., just after the soldiers had completed their weapons training and gathered for an after-action review.
"The soldiers that were at the range at the time immediately reacted to the lightning strike, and they did what soldiers are trained to do, and that’s to check on each other, to ensure that they’re OK," said Master Sgt. Patrick Malone, a spokesman for the division,
according to USA Today.
After the lightning struck, the paratroopers "immediately conducted a lightning-strike drill, where they moved from higher ground down to lower ground and spread out," he added.
Maj. Rob Lodewick, a spokesman for 2nd Brigade Combat Team, said that, "Paratroopers did receive word that lightning was within five miles of their location," and were discussing whether to pause training when the strike occurred.
Sixty soldiers were accounted for, at which time the troop medic began checking soldiers for injuries. Among the injured were soldiers from the 1st Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, and 82nd Airborne Division.
According to WNCN-TV, 15 soldiers were held overnight at Womack Army Medical Center. One soldier said to be in stable condition was taken to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill for cardiac monitoring. Eight have since been discharged, said Malone. The remaining soldiers at Womack are expected to be released within 48 hours.
A similar lightning strike injured 40 Ranger School students and four instructors at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida on Aug. 13.
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