METINOTA, Sask. - A 29-year-old man helping his parents build a deck on their cabin in Saskatchewan was killed and his mother injured when they were struck by lightning.
Glenn Wouters, mayor of the village of Metinota, about 170 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon, said there had been a thunderstorm earlier Saturday afternoon, but it had cleared up and everyone went back outside.
"The dad and a couple other people were working on the deck up top, and the son and the mother were down below sawing up some of the old lumber for firewood....
"Then out of nowhere came this lightning and thunder, one crack of lighting and one sound of thunder, very loud and that was when he was hit. It was strange...
"Then we got a call and went down there and they were trying CPR and trying to do the best they could but by then it was too late.''
The father and the others on the deck got jolted and thrown back, Wouters said, but were able to get up and go down to help the two who were hit.
The mother suffered burns and was in hospital in North Battleford.
"She was in intensive care. She's very much aware of what's going on and is in grief as well,'' Wouters said.
The son, who lives in Alberta and works in the oilpatch, was just home for the weekend to help his parents build the deck, he said.
The family are long-time residents of the village and are well known, said the mayor.
"He fished with my son, and we know them and we pray for them now to get through this .... Something you don't think can happen does occasionally happen, doesn't it?'' Wouters said.
In 2007, 45 people were struck and killed by lightning in the United States, and hundreds more were injured.
