3 MacDuffie School students struck by lightning - Western Mass News - WGGB/WSHM

3 MacDuffie School students struck by lightning

A 16-year-old student is lucky to be alive after being struck by lightning Tuesday.

It all happened on the MacDuffie School campus in Granby.

Three students were struck by lightning Tuesday evening after storm clouds rolled into Granby. One of the students took a direct hit.

The 16-year-old female was sitting at a picnic table on campus when the bolt struck her, knocked her to the ground and left her unresponsive.

Head of School Steve Griffin said his staff immediately jumped into action.

"One was out on scene first and immediately started CPR and was then relieved by three people," said Griffin.

Another staff member ran to get an Automated External Defibrillator, but that's when the student miraculously regained consciousness.

"Recovery from simply CPR is not a normal circumstance," said Griffin.

Two other male students in the vicinity also felt the effects from the strike.

One had just walked by the 16-year-old.

"He had just said hi and the next thing he remembers, he was 15 feet away," explained Griffin.

The school has an emergency action plan which includes what to do in the event of a thunderstorm.

Griffin said they usually put the plan into action once they hear thunder or see lightning.

Unfortunately, the first warning for the school was the bolt that hit the student.

"What we had yesterday was the first strike of a very fast moving storm," said Griffin.

All three students were transported to Baystate Medical Center, where they were treated for their injuries.

Granby police said if it were not for the quick actions of the faculty, the situation could have been a lot worse.

 That's something that Griffin said makes him proud of his staff.

"It all comes down to them acting and reacting. I couldn't be more proud of the way our faculty acted," said Griffin.

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