A herdsman from the village of Uratan in Central Tapanuli, North Sumatra, died alongside his 19 oxen after being struck by lightning on Monday night.

The herdsman was identified as 23-year-old Sintor Habeahan. Sintor was lighting a fire to get rid of mosquitos at the oxen barn next to his house when a thunder bolt suddenly hit the barn, killing Sintor as well as the oxen inside the barn.

“The victim was found dead alongside the oxen inside the barn due to the lightning strike,” the victim’s friend, Tupang, told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Central Tapanuli Police spokesman First Insp. Rensa Sipahutar confirmed the accident in a written statement. Rensa said the oxen belonged to a civil servant named Mikael Simbolon, who also lives in Uratan.

“The owner said the oxen will be buried in a mass grave today,” Rensa said. (dpk)