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Lightning critically injures scout leader, injures 2 others at Westmoreland County camp
Friday, June 22, 2001 By Ginny Kopas, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
A Washington County teacher described as "devoted to scouting" remained in critical condition last night, the victim of lightning that struck without warning at a Boy Scout camp in Fairfield, Westmoreland County, Wednesday night.
Jack Magyar of Eighty Four was struck by lightning at Twin Echo Park off Route 271, five miles north of Ligonier, where he was leading a weeklong leadership training program for the Boy Scouts.
Magyar, still unconscious at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center in Johnstown, was the most serious of three who were injured when what is usually called "dry lightning" appeared out of nowhere and struck a tall pine tree, then bounced off into a group of campers who were standing about four or five feet away. They had just left Miller Lodge, the main dining hall on the sprawling campgrounds used by the Greater Pittsburgh Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
Two others, who were not identified, were also knocked to the ground by the lightning bolt. A second adult Scout leader was in fair condition at Conemaugh Memorial. His 15-year old son, a youth leader and camper, was also taken to the hospital but was released.
Larry Lynch, a Scout leader and longtime acquaintance of Magyar's, was standing inches away when lightning struck. He recounted the scene:
About 10 people were standing outside the lodge, chatting after dinner. It was a little after 7 p.m. The skies were dark in the distance, but it was not raining and no one heard thunder. Lynch saw a flash out of the corner of his eye, turned and found the trio on the ground. Magyar was the most obviously injured, his skin already turning blue and his hair appearing to be burned. Lynch felt for a pulse, didn't feel any and immediately started cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Despite the several miles of one-lane dirt road to the remote camp from Route 271, paramedics were on the scene within minutes.
Larry Stevens, camp ranger at Twin Echo, also performed CPR. Stevens, who lives on the grounds, speculated that the lightning bolt may have struck a tall pine tree at the side of the lodge and bounced off.
Trooper Jeanne Martin of the Pennsylvania State Police verified that account.
"Lightning struck the tree and apparently struck a man who was standing four or five feet from that tree," she said.
Nevertheless, it was business as usual at the camp yesterday.
Most of the 50 teen-age leaders, 25 adult leaders, and 118 Boy Scouts who had signed up for the Junior Leadership Training Program remained on site.
The Scouts were from Allegheny, Beaver, Washington, Greene, Fayette and Westmoreland counties. No interviews were allowed with campers.
Janice Mahalko lives a couple of miles from Magyar in a rural area off Route 70 east of Washington, Pa. Yesterday she said Magyar lives a life "devoted to scouting" and young people in general. Mahalko's late husband taught in the Canon-McMillan School District with Magyar.
Mahalko's son, Christopher Collins, 19, a student at the University of Pittsburgh, credited Magyar's guidance for Collins' reaching what is the highest rank in the Boy Scouts, the prestigious Eagle rank.
Magyar is married and the father of two grown children.
Early reports from the scene indicated that five were injured, but while two other teen-agers were taken to a hospital by ambulances Wednesday night, their injuries had been sustained earlier and were not related to the lightning.
Victor Arsenault, council spokesman, did not return calls.
While there was no rain at the time of the incident, the weather in Western Pennsylvania Wednesday evening included scattered thunderstorms, which, at varying spots and times, dumped a lot of rain in a very brief period of time.
It did not rain in Fairfield. The lightning bolt appeared to be a case of dry lightning, when lightning strikes from a cloud that is not making rain.
While telephone access is limited in the remote camp site, concerned parents may call the Scout council hot line at 724-329-8534.
Emergency management officials from several municipalities and counties responded to the freak accident Wednesday and said there are steps to take to stay safe when you are outdoors and lightning appears:
Boy Scouts at Echo Park Camp, however, had no warning.
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Seek shelter when you hear even the faintest thunder. Some of the best places to take refuge are enclosed buildings, or cars and buses -- but don't touch the metal. If there are no safe spaces nearby, bend into a crouching position until there is a break in the storm.