NORCO, La. – Four people were injured as a lightning bolt struck a crane at the Motiva refinery in St. Charles Parish.
Shell spokeswoman Lilly Galland said that the four people injured are contractors who were working at the facility Tuesday when the lightning struck around them. The contractors, who are employed by Turner Industries, were doing construction at the refinery.
"Three of them were on the ground one was up in the air on a big column," said Rodney Landry, project manager with Turner Industries. "They were working on a piece on equipment that was connected to the crane."
The workers were taken to an area hospital, Landry said. Three were released by late afternoon, one was still being held for observation, he said.
"There were no burns, no visible injuries," he said. "But when electricity goes through you they want to check you out."
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox