According to an article in "Honcho seiki" (Chronicle of Imperial Reigns), in the late evening of April 28, 1146 when the residence of his cousin, Imperial Princess Kanshi (the fifth Imperial Princess of Emperor Shirakawa) was burned down due to lightning strike, he tried to beat off the growling thunder with a hyojo (deadly weapon) in his hand and he was struck by lightning just in the moment of grand discharge and got electrocuted.
久安2年（1146年）3月9日の夜半に経光の従兄妹にあたる官子内親王（白河天皇第五皇女）の邸宅が落雷により焼失した際、兵仗を手に執り轟く雷を追い払おうとしたところ邸に雷が落ちて震死（感電死）したとの記事が『本朝世紀』にみえている。