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High school soccer players, coach struck by lightning during practice in Montana

One of the players is in critical condition in the ICU at a local hospital.
Glacier High School
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Two Montana high school soccer players and an assistant coach were injured after being struck by lightning while at practice Monday night, officials said.

According to the athletic director at Glacier High School in Kalispell, located in the northwestern part of the state, the incident happened around 5:45 p.m. local time on the school's soccer field.

The head coach of the team provided lifesaving measures, including using an AED, before first responders arrived at the scene, officials said.

All three victims were transported to a local hospital where one of the players remains in critical condition in the ICU. The second player and coach are reportedly responsive but remain at the hospital for further evaluation.

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The school's athletic director said coaches followed the safety protocol for lighting and kept the team off the field for a half hour after the last lightning strike had passed during a storm Monday night.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the odds of being struck by lightning are 1 in a million and 90% of victims survive. Lightning strike deaths are most common in the southeastern region of the United States.

This story was originally published by Scripps News Missoula.