Courtesy of Ryan Funeral Homes
Authorities have identified the DNR worker who was killed by a lightning strike last week.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that 48-year-old Adam Zirbel of Plymouth lost his life after being struck by lightning in the Town of Kewaskum on September 22nd.
Zirbel, a forester with the DNR, was working in the area of the New Fane Trail and never returned home.
A subsequent search of the area followed, and the 48-year-old’s body was located in a wooded area.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Division, the DNR, and the County Medical Examiner’s Office investigated the incident.
In their announcement, the Sheriff’s Office stated, “The investigation revealed that a lightning strike caused the death. Investigators have verified that there was a documented lightning strike in that area around 10:15 am that morning.”
Following the announcement, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office reminded the public of the dangers that lightning strikes can pose, noting that while extremely rare, the U.S. averages approximately 20 lightning-related deaths each year.
