Lightning Strike Injures 16 at Ohio Correctional Facility

More than a dozen incarcerated individuals were hospitalized after being struck by lightning outside a correctional facility in Ohio on Tuesday, prompting officials to declare a mass casualty incident. The strike occurred at the Grafton Reintegration Center as inmates were moving between buildings following a meal.

Authorities reported that at least 16 people were injured in the incident, which took place shortly before 6 p.m. Initial reports indicated eight individuals were hurt, but the number of injured later doubled. All were transported to local hospitals with injuries described as non-life-threatening, though some patients were reported to be in critical condition. Ambulances from Lorain, Medina, and Cuyahoga counties responded to the scene, and hospitals in Elyria and Westlake were alerted to expect patients.

The lightning strike occurred amid a series of powerful storms that battered parts of Ohio, causing significant flooding. The National Weather Service had issued a flood watch for the Grafton area at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, which was scheduled to remain in effect until 8 a.m. Wednesday. The severe weather also contributed to a separate fatality in the state. One person...