[Kathy in Alaska]

Four Scout leaders killed in electrical accident at Jamboree

By MICHAEL FELBERBAUM, Associated Press Writer

Published: July 25th, 2005
Last Modified: July 25th, 2005 at 05:46 PM

BOWLING GREEN, Va. (AP) - Four adult Boy Scout leaders were killed Monday afternoon in an electrical accident during the opening day of the organization's 2005 Jamboree, the Boy Scouts of America said.

Jamboree spokesman Gregg Shields said an electrical accident occurred between 4:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Monday while the leaders were setting up camp.

Shields said no youth Scouts were seriously injured. He did not say how many sustained minor injuries.

"We're looking into it right now," Shields said. "We have an investigation under way."

One other leader and a contract worker also were injured but remain in stable condition at a local hospital, Shields said.

The killed and injured Scout leaders were from Anchorage, Alaska, said Bill Haines, Scout executive and chief executive officer of the Western Alaska Council, which oversees about 10,600 Boy Scouts and is the largest of three councils in Alaska.

The rest of the story

[armymarinemom]

Prayers for the families. Kathy, sorry for the town's loss:(

[don-o]

Thanks for the update Kathy.

[Rhiannon]

Thanks so much for the info. I saw that 4 died on the website earlier since I checked to see how things were going, since my 15 year old son is there. He left yesterday withe Baltimore Area Council contingent.

Ther is noway that this event should be cancelled because of the tragedy. That would make a mockery of the deaths. These leaders that died came from Alaska to get their scounts to the Jamboree.

There are 43,000 scouts there this year and this tragedy should not curtail the 18 months that these kids have worked to get to this event.

[octobersky]

Thanks for the update and link. What an awful tragedy. Prayers going up for scouts and families.

[SandRat]

Sadness Kathy. Just Sadness.

Psa 119:76 Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.

[Chena]

Thank you again for your posts. It is through you that I learned that the victims of this horrible accident were troop leaders from our own state, Alaska. I had just gotten off the phone with our son who lives in Anchorage, and we had been talking about this horrible tragedy. He must not have heard yet either that they were Alaskans. Sad no matter where they were from, but this sure hits close to home.

God bless their families, friends and fellow Scouts. sob

[SunnyUsa]

Just heartsick about this - what a far way the Alaskans traveled for such a tragic accident to take their lives.

Did these leaders have their son's in the troop?

I can't imagine the shock they are all in. :(