Man dies, wife injured in lightning strike on Colorado peak

DENVER – A Denver man has died after being struck by lightning while hiking on a Colorado peak.

The Denver Post reports the 36-year-old man died while his 37-year-old wife sustained non-life threatening injuries Sunday on Bear Peak.

Officials did not release their names.

Officials say a call was made to 911 around 1 p.m. notifying authorities the man was unconscious and not breathing and that a passerby had started CPR.

Rescue personnel arrived and found the injured couple about a quarter-mile (0.4 kilometres) up from the Bear Creek trailhead 37 miles (60 kilometres) northwest of Denver.

Officials say the man was airlifted to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Authorities say an initial investigation at the scene suggested the man received a direct lightning strike to his upper body.

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Information from: The Denver Post, http://www.denverpost.com