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July 7, 2007

Two teenage girls from Schenectady, New York were injured by a lightning strike during a violent thunderstorm. The 16 and 18 year-old teens were seeking shelter under a tree on Eastern Parkway, when it was struck by lightning.

Schenectady police quickly arrived on the seen, and Medlight was called in to airlift the 18-year-old to Albany Medical Center. The 16-year-old was taken to Ellis Hospital with minor injuries to her arm.

Officials said that the bolt of lighting struck the tree about 25 feet up and traveled all the way down the trunk, splintering a path of bark along the way, and hit the two girls who were standing not more than five-feet away. They say the burst of electricity traveled up through the girls' feet, buring the 18-year-old who was standing closest to the trunk on her feet, ankles, legs, stomach and chest. The names of the teenagers are not being released.

Fire officials say the strike could very easily have been fatal. "It was a storm that blew up out of nowhere, very quick, very fast moving- but very violent,: Schenectady Deputy Fire Chief Scott Doherty said.