Four Joburg schoolboy lightning victims discharged

Four of the schoolboys struck by lightning on a cricket pitch in Johannesburg had been discharged from hospital by Tuesday night, paramedics said.

Two more boys remained in a critical conditions in Milpark Hospital and three were in stable conditions, said Netcare 911 group manager Mande Toubkin.

"The two that are in a critical condition remain in ICU and the other three are in the trauma care under observation," she said.

The nine boys, from King Edward VII School in Johannesburg, were struck by lightning while trying to pull covers over the cricket field, said Gauteng education department spokesman Charles Pahlane. They were aged between 16 and 18.

At the school's premises, boys wearing cricket attire were not speaking to anyone. A school official directed all queries to the provincial education department and said the school had "no comment at this stage".

However, it took to the social networking site, Twitter, to update parents.

"Update 9 boys struck by lightning, 7 stable & 2 are under highcare. Full report to follow. Thank you for messages of support," the school wrote on its Twitter page.

A second update read: "#KESBOARDINGPARENTS Please note all boarders are fine & safe. Only nine 1st Team cricketers affected. 7 are stable & 2 under high care."

Pahlane said trauma counsellors would be sent to the school on Wednesday to speak to schoolchildren and teachers.

He said four 16-year-old girls, from the Protea Glen Secondary School in Soweto, were struck by lightning while on their way home after school on Monday.

"One is still in intensive care while others are stable. The department is providing support to these learners."