A man was reportedly struck by lightning Tuesday south of Durango.
The man, described as being in his 50s, was taken to Mercy Hospital in serious condition, said Randy Black, chief of the Durango Fire Protection District.
The fire department was unable to identify the man, because federal laws prohibit medical providers that bill for services from releasing personally identifying information about their patients.
The incident was reported at 10:37 a.m. on County Road 302, which is about 4 miles south of the Grandview interchange on the Florida Mesa in La Plata County.
It was not immediately known if the man was directly struck by lightning. Lightning can strike people directly, hit the ground near somebody or strike something that conducts electricity.
“There’s a number of things that can create that electricity back into that individual,” Black said.
Medical providers can usually see a fern-like pattern on the body that is indicative of whether a patient has been electrocuted or struck by lightning.
The pattern is made when electricity passes through the body and damages blood vessels and nerve paths.
Remnants from Tropical Storm Illeana moved into the region early Monday, bringing lightning and isolated downpours across much of Southwest Colorado.
Black said some roads have been washed out or covered by mud and debris. He said a DFPD ambulance became stuck in mud Monday night in a roundabout.
He warned residents to take certain precautions during lightning storms, including staying indoors as much as possible and avoiding metal objects like poles and golf clubs.
“These are powerful storms with a lot of water coming down,” Black said.
shane@durangoherald.com
