Second Woman Struck by Lightning at Beach Dies

By Jason Claffey

A Concord woman who was struck by lightning at an Ipswich beach earlier this month has died.

Marianne Mellnick, 69, died Saturday at Massachusetts General Hospital, Ipswich police announced.

Her friend, Marguerite Tomany, 61, of North Grosvenor Dale, Conn., also died from the lightning strike.

“This is a terrible tragedy that has struck our community, and I join the Ipswich Police and Fire Departments and the entire town in offering our most sincere condolences to the Mellnick family,” Acting Police Chief Jonathan Hubbard said in a statement.

Contrary to previous reports, police said the women were struck by lightning while walking up to the beach toward the street. They were not in the water.

They had no pulse when first responders arrived at the scene. EMTs were able to restore the women’s pulses by the time they arrived at the hospital.

Mellnick worked in public finance and tax management, according to CBS Boston.

Photo: The skies above Ipswich Sept. 6 shortly after lightning struck two women at Crane Beach. (Credit: WHDH)