DENVER — A Colorado rancher and 34 of his cattle were killed by lightning over the weekend, authorities said Sunday.
According to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Mike Morgan, 51, was feeding cattle from the trailer when he was struck and died at the scene despite life-saving efforts.
The lightning struck a large pasture outside the town of Rand, about 80 miles (129 kilometers) northwest of Denver, said county coroner George Crockett.
The impact also knocked down about 100 cows that had been gathered around a trailer loaded with hay, Crockett said. “All of them got up except for 34,” he said.
Morgan’s father-in-law and his wife were nearby and survived the blast, Crockett said.
Crockett said the incident has shocked a small, close-knit community where nearly everyone knows each other.
