Girl shocked while playing in rain downtown

May 30--A 10-year-old girl and three other children were taken to Salina Regional Heath Center Wednesday evening after the girl suffered an electrical shock while the children were playing in Campbell Plaza on South Santa Fe Avenue during a severe thunder and lightning storm about 6:40 p.m.

The girl was sent on to a Wichita hospital from Salina on Wednesday night. The condition of the children was unknown late Wednesday.

Lt. Allen Salzman of the Salina Police Department said authorities aren't sure exactly what happened.

"They (Westar) are still trying to figure out what happened," Salzman said. "They are still piecing everything together."

The incident occurred during a period of heavy rain, and streets both downtown and in south Salina were becoming inundated with water.

According to the National Weather Service, Salina was hit with 0.56 of an inch of rain between 4:53 and 5:53 p.m. and inundated with another 1.57 inches between 5:53 and 6:53 p.m.

Those readings were taken at Salina Regional Airport.

The rain was accompanied by thunder and lightning.

Rain was heavy as police officers, firefighters, paramedics and Westar workers blocked off the area surrounding Campbell Plaza and surveyed the area, trying to protect others from harm and determine what had occurred. Campbell Plaza, an outdoor plaza in the 100 block of South Santa Fe Avenue, has a stage and electricity and often is used for concerts and other events during the spring and summer months.

Lightning was heavy Wednesday evening, but Salzman wouldn't comment on whether the child might have been struck by lightning.

Salzman said four children were taken by ambulance to Salina Regional Health Center -- two shortly after the incident and two later.

Salzman said some of the children were taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure, but he wouldn't comment on the extent of injuries to any of the children.

Copyright 2013 - The Salina Journal, Kan.