Fisherman Killed By Lightning Strike On Bartletts Ferry

An avid Chambers County, Alabama fisherman was killed on Bartletts Ferry Lake on Friday night, July 21, after being struck by lightning, authorities said.

There were four others in the boat at the time of the lightning strike. Two required medical attention for minor injuries, and two others did not. Those who were not injured performed CPR until paramedics arrived.

The accident happened in Lee County, Alabama. Bartletts Ferry is located on the Alabama-Georgia border.

Lee County Coroner Bill Harris identified the man who died as 34-year-old Toby Burrow. Burrow was a welder and fabricator and an avid fisherman, his obituary said.

A witness said he saw the 8:15 lightning strike from his pier. He said the five men were running approximately 20 mph trying the get to shore away from the storm. He said lightning struck the water and jumped horizontally, striking the boat. He said the lighting storm disabled the boat, and the two men not administering CPR jumped into the water and pushed the boat to shore.

Lee County Deputies, EAMC EMS and Beulah Volunteer Fire and Rescue responded to the incident on near Lee County Road 793. They said Burrow had no sign of life when they arrived. Burrow was taken to East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika where he was pronounced dead at 9:35. It was later reported that Burrow was killed from a direct lightning strike to the head.

Burrow is the eighth person in the United States to die from being struck by lightning in 2017, according to the National Weather Service.