Cherry Hill, NJ – Teen in Serious Condition after Lightning Strike

Cherry Hill, NJ – A 14-year-old boy passing through the neighborhood yesterday is in critical condition at Temple Burn Center this morning after being struck by lightning.

Police, fire personnel and BLS and ALS units were called to 316 Monroe Ave., where they found the boy Zachary Yizzi from Union Avenue lying face down with no pulse.

"He took what I believe was a direct hit." Battalion Chief Rick Harris said. "When we arrived he was lying on the ground, his shirt was burned and smothering and he was in cardiac arrest," he said. "We used the defibrillator three times to shock his heart. On the third try, we got a pulse."

A neighbor reported hearing a loud bang during a thunderstorm, looked out the door and saw the boy on the ground with his shirt on fire. The neighbor called 9-1-1 and extinguished the fire with his own shirt.

Zachary was first taken to Cooper University Hospital in Camden, but was transferred to Temple because of burns to over 50 percent of his body. [APP – VIN]