Teen struck by lightning in Small Heath Park died from injuries

Jul 3 2009 by Andy Richards, Birmingham Mail

A BIRMINGHAM teenager died from injuries sustained when lightning struck a tree and a charge transferred to his body, a coroner said today.

Assistant Deputy Coroner for Birmingham and Solihull, Michael Snell, recorded a verdict of accidental death on Mohammed Junaid Hussain.

The 16-year-old was taken to hospital after lightning hit a tree under which he and five friends were sheltering, in Small Heath Park, Birmingham on Saturday.

The group had been playing cricket when it began raining heavily.

Mr Snell said: “Clearly it was that as a result of the lightning strike he suffered very severe damage to the various organs in his body and those were shutting down at a very rapid rate.”

The inquest was told Mohammed died while in the operating theatre at Selly Oak Hospital. The electric charge had entered his body on the left side of his face and shoulder and exited from his left foot, the hearing heard.

He suffered burns to his face, thigh and foot.

During his time in hospital he suffered bowel problems and his heart eventually stopped.

At the end of the hearing, Mr Snell said he wanted to warn young people about the dangers of sheltering under trees during storms.

He said: “Lightning is likely to strike at the highest point so it is some extent the worst thing you can do is hide under a tree.”

Earlier the teenager’s uncle spoke of the family’s grief and paid tribute to his “respectable” nephew.

Arif Hussain, aged 54, said his nephew and his friends had initially gone to a bus shelter but moved under the trees to allow a group of girls to get out of the rain.

He said: “He had not been very well for two or three days and his friends came to take him to play cricket. He just sat and watched.

“When it started to rain they hid under a bus shelter. They then let some girls take shelter and went under the trees.”

Mr Hussain, of Small Heath, said Mohammed’s mother was distraught.

He said: “His mother is very, very terrible. She’s not stopped screaming and crying.”