A woman has died after being hit by debris from a tree which exploded when it was struck by lightning in a town south-west of Sydney on Saturday afternoon.
Paramedics and a medical team rushed to the address in Cawdor about 5.30pm Saturday. New South Wales Ambulance said one woman had been fatally injured by shrapnel from the tree.
A local cat grooming business posted statements online identifying the victim as Rosanna Hashem, a 43-year-old mother of four.
A statement on the website for The Groomery, whose street address matches where the lightning strike occurred, paid tribute to Rosanna as “the heart and foundation of The Groomery but also a beloved mother of four boys, a devoted wife, a cherished sister, and a dear friend to so many”.
“Over the past five years, she and her team poured their hearts into building a warm and trusted community, and her absence leaves an immeasurable void. Rose’s care, laughter, and kindness brought people together, creating a family – one that will forever carry her memory forward,” the statement said.
On a Go Fund Me webpage, started by Jemma Powell, a colleague of Hashem’s, in honour of her, Powell wrote: “On the 8th of February 2025, just one day before her 44th birthday, our beloved Rosanna Hashem was tragically taken from us in an unforeseen lightning incident on her property in Cawdor, NSW. This devastating loss has left a profound void in the hearts of all who knew and loved her.”
Powell wrote that Hashem’s “sudden passing has left her husband and children facing an unimaginable loss”.
Guardian Australia has reached out to Powell and the Groomery to independently confirm Hashem’s identity as the lightning strike victim.
A second woman in her 40s was taken to Liverpool hospital with injuries to her hands and face. NSW Ambulance said she remained in hospital in a serious but stable condition.
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A neighbour told the Sydney Morning Herald that “one big bang” had come just as storm clouds started rolling over the rural area.
“It was huge,” he said. “It scared the life out of me.”