Woman struck by lightning in Runnemede

RUNNEMEDE, N.J. - August 18, 2011 (WPVI) -- A woman from Runnemede was struck by lightning Thursday afternoon.

Neighbor Patricia Chico and police say the bolt of lightning hit a tree, ran through the ground, and struck Arlene Vancamp as she sat on a metal chair outside her home on Center Street.

"It shook my whole house, scared me to death. It just shook. I just hope she's OK," Chico said.

Vancamp's husband was also outside, but uninjured.

Neighbors say he was putting a tarp on the family pickup when the lightning hit.

Medics arrived within a couple of minutes and Vancamp was rushed to Cooper University Hospital.

Vancamp then transferred to Temple University's burn unit.

Chico says the bolt created a smoldering hole after exiting the ground.

"She was awake, alert, but she couldn't talk, her color was not well," Chico said.

The sky was energetic in South Jersey Thursday.

In Oaklyn, lightning hit a home on Haddon Avenue. There was no reported damage.

There were no reported injuries that lightning strike.

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new jersey, camden county, lightning, local/state, chad pradelli

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