Man survives lightning strike at bass tournament on Rayburn

From Mike Lout/KJAS 

Doctors at the Louisiana State University Medical Center at Shreveport are saying that a man who was fishing in the McDonald's Big Splash Bass Tournament on Saturday is lucky to be alive after his boat was struck by lightning.

58 year old Dale Nash and friend Tommy Young, both of whom live on the Louisiana side of Toledo Bend Reservoir, not far from Toledo Town, were fishing on Saturday afternoon on the northeast side of Lake Sam Rayburn when lighting hit the boat they were sitting in.

The strike reportedly not only threw Nash out of the boat, but also ripped all of his clothes from his body. However, a friend who was fishing nearby, Eddie Gongre, also of Louisiana, jumped into the water and rescued Nash and took him to shore where he could be transferred to an ambulance. Young was also injured but did not require treatment. However, Nash received 1st and 2nd degree burns to an estimated 15% of his body and is still undergoing treatment but said to be recovering.

Witnesses said the bolt was so strong that other anglers as far as 400 yards away experienced a shock or tingle. The strike burned the pedestal part of the seat and also caused the control unit of a trolling motor to explode.