Lightning struck 11 people, including eight children, who had gathered in a Paris for a child’s birthday party Saturday, officials said.

Among those hit in Park Monceau, four children and two adults were seriously injured, said Paris fire service spokesman Eric Moulin, the Associated Press reported.

Four of those seriously injured are in life-threatening condition, Moulin said. One adult and five children were slightly injured, he said.

“They had taken shelter under a tree,” Paris city councilor Karen Taieb told Agence France-Presse.

Partial view taken of the Park Monceau following its evacuation after eleven people were struck by lightning. (Matthieu Alexandre/AFP/Getty Images)

An off-duty fireman near the park, a popular weekend spot for Paris’s well-to-do, ran to the scene and saw nine people lying on the ground under a tree, Moulin told AP.

The off-duty fireman delivered first aid to victims; “without his actions, it would have been much worse,” Moulin said.

The victims had burns, Vincent Baladi, an official in Paris’s eighth district, said on iTELE television.

“We hope they will all pull through,” he told the station, according to AFP. “The lightning struck suddenly.”

France’s families minister, Laurence Rossignol, tweeted, “all my thoughts are with the children” injured and their families.

Toutes mes pensées pour les enfants blessés au Parc Monceau et les familles bouleversées et inquiètes.

— laurence rossignol (@laurossignol) May 28, 2016

On Friday, the country’s meteorological service warned about the possibility of thunderstorms throughout the week.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/05/28/11-people-struck-by-lightning-during-childs-birthday-party-in-paris-park/
* Links to the Associate Press &
Agence France-Presse & lightning warning*

Under a Tree?
Lightning is dangerous and unpredictable!
Can strike quite a distance away from an actual Thunderstorm!

These people were (obviously), all connected, in many ways (since this was for children).
I would be very curious to know...what ways?

Because my God..does not play.


Ugh.. Here are some others...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor/

List of thunder gods
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_thunder_gods/

One child in critical condition

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/2937c9ba1b3240e188699f1af20e1f85/child-critical-condition-after-paris-lightning-strike/