Story By: Alex Cope, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Golders

A teenage refugee football fan has been killed and a further four have been injured when lightning struck the pitch after a match was called off due to the storm.

Local media report Myanmar national Rohimullah Bin Abdul Zalil, 19, was killed as he stood on a wet football pitch in the city of Shah Alam in the state of Selangor in Malaysia.

Reports state Zalil, a keen footballer, had been at the ground to watch local side Rohingya Klang FC take on Super Nova FC.

Pictures Credit: Golders

The match had been called off after a heavy storm hit the area and reports state most of the players and spectators had gone indoors.

However, some remained on the pitch and Zalil and four others were electrocuted by the lightning when it hit the wet pitch and they were on their mobile phones, according to local media.

Zalil reportedly died at the scene whilst four others were taken to a local hospital. 
One of them, Abdul Rahman Bin Abul Hussein, 30, is reportedly in a critical condition, while Kamal Uddin Bin Abu Taher, 30, and Husson Ahmed Bin Asod Ali, 20, are expected to be discharged soon.

The fourth victim has not been named in reports. Local media report all five victims are of Rohingya descent and some of those injured were reportedly Rohingya Klang players but it is unclear which victims they are.

Zalil is said to have fled his native Myanmar in 2014 during an army crackdown on the Rohingya population.

The organiser and referee of the match, Zainizam Zambri, said he had called the match off 30 minutes before the lightning struck because of the rain.

He added that he had told everyone in the area to leave “to prevent untoward incidents from happening”.

He says that onlookers had to wait five minutes before they could reach the victims as the lightning was still flashing.

In the images, the bodies of the victims can be seen lying on the pitch as onlookers walk close by.

The authorities have confirmed an investigation into the incident has been launched.

Rohingya Klang Football Club released a statement expressing their condolences to Zalil’s family, who reportedly still live in Myanmar.