A 13-year-old was struck by lightning while playing video games and thankfully survived to tell the tale. The moment will no doubt be one the player won't soon forget, and serves as an important reminder to be careful during thunderstorms.
Although many will never experience it, homes can be struck by lightning during thunderstorms. People in the path of severe storms are often advised to stay away from things like corded electronics and to avoid running faucets or showers while there is a risk of lightning, as scenarios like this are rare, but possible.
The 13-year-old survives electric shocks from the lightning
While lightning can pose a risk in video games, a 13-year-old named Vlad Skuridin went through the experience in real life. He takes nothing for granted after surviving a lightning strike during a thunderstorm while sitting in his own home. The Texas-based teenager was playing games during a storm when a lightning strike hit his house and the electricity traveled through until it reached the player's metal table, before taking the plunge to his stomach. The incident caused the teenager to jump and start screaming, and was apparently terrifying and painful enough that he thought he might not survive the incident. His father called 911 and EMS evaluated the teenager and determined he was okay and did not need to go to the emergency room.
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Although the shock caused no lasting damage to Vlad, the home was not as unscathed. The electric shock was significant, apparently traveling through the wiring in the home. The surge led to a fire in the attic and a hole in the wall, but thankfully the house is otherwise intact. While Vlad is physically ok, the player was severely shaken, now feeling like “it could end at any moment”, noting that he still felt dizzy. There was no mention of his gaming gear and whether it made it through the incident unscathed.
There are plenty of people everywhere who have successfully played games through storms without any issues, but that doesn't mean it's unheard of. Several Twitch streamers have been zapped live on camera, with electrical surges sometimes causing visual and audio distortions on the stream. While some of these incidents have only caused temporary discomfort, there have also been cases of players suffering actual burns from the electrical surge. In one unfortunate incident, a streamer was electrocuted through the ears after the electrical surge went through their wired earbuds. Several controls have also been permanently damaged or completely destroyed.
While it may seem excessive to some, it's not a bad idea to be cautious when there are thunderstorms in the forecast or active thunderstorms outside. According to Consumer Reports, wireless electronics like phones and laptops don't pose a risk as long as they're not plugged in, so it may be best to stick to handheld games and battery-powered devices to be on the safe side during inclement weather. Surge protectors cannot protect against lightning strikes, so it may be best to disconnect sensitive electronics if lightning is also expected in the area.
