11:30 a.m. Update An 11-year-old girl suffered a severe electrical shock in downtown Salina early Wednesday evening.

Police Lt. Scott Siemsen said the girl and four other children ranging in ages of 9-13 were splashing around in rain water in Campbell Plaza in the 100 block of S. Santa Fe about 6:45pm, when she stepped on an electrical junction box in the ground and was shocked.

The other children were also shocked when they went to the aid of the girl.

The girl and other children were taken to Salina Regional Health Center for treatment of injuries from the shock, and the girl was then taken to Via Christi in Wichita, where she was placed in ICU in stable condition.

Power is off in all of the plazas in downtown Salina Thursday morning and traffic lights at the crosswalks at Campbell, Strand, and Phillips Plazas are off.

Lt. Scott Siemsen said lightning was not a factor in the electrical shock.

Police are not releasing the names of the children

 

6: a.m.  Westar Energy says it does not believe their equipment is responsible for the injury to a ten year old girl shocked by electricity in Salina. Emergency crews said the child was outside a downtown Salina store with other children when she suddenly collapsed. The girl was flown to a Wichita hospital.  Three other children were also reportedly shocked but not seriously injured.

Westar says they are working with authorities to learn what happened.