Pair struck by lightning near Damascus

Pair struck by lightning near Damascus

Lightning strikes the ground in the Gresham area during a thunderstorm Sunday evening, as seen from Rocky Butte in Portland. YouNews photo by Bryan Dorr, Jun. 29, 2008.

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By Thanh Tan and KATU Web Staff

DAMASCUS, Ore. - One man was seriously injured and another was knocked unconscious after they were struck by lightning while standing outside a Damascus home Sunday evening.

One of the men, Ed Wetterlin, was treated and released Monday from Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland.

The condition of the other man, Daniel Thomas, was unknown. He was found unconscious, without a pulse and not breathing after the lightning strike, according to a 911 recording of the incident. Neighbors said emergency crews performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on him in the driveway.

Fire officials said Thomas was taken to Mount Hood Medical Center in Gresham, but officials there on Monday said they could not confirm any information about him.

Wetterlin lives at the address while the other man was apparently a tree trimmer the family had hired. The two were standing by some tall fir trees about 100 feet from the home at 11633 S.E. 222nd Drive when the lightning struck them about 6 p.m.

Wetterlin's son, Kevin, called 911 to report the incident.

"My dad just crawled into the house," he told the dispatcher, adding that the other man was still outside lying unconscious under a tree, according to the recording.

Kevin Wetterlin stayed on the line with the dispatcher as he went outside to check on the other man, who was laying flat on his back. His eyes were not moving and Kevin Wetterlin could feel no pulse on his neck.

The dispatcher told him not to drag the man back to the house, and Wetterlin, fearing for his safety from the lightning, left the man outside, according to the recording.

Emergency crews arrived about eight minutes after Kevin Wetterlin first dialed 911. LifeFlight could not be activated due to the storm.

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