Florida beach lightning strike leaves 1 dead, 3 injured ahead of July Fourth weekend


A man was killed and three other beachgoers were injured Friday after a lightning strike at Fort Myers Beach, Florida.

The Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District said in a statement that crews were dispatched to the scene of a lightning strike involving multiple people.

When authorities arrived, crews found one individual unresponsive, the fire department said. Three others had to be transported from the scene, it added. The four victims were in the ocean when the lightning struck, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

A bystander had deployed an automated external defibrillator and was performing CPR when authorities arrived, the fire department said. However, the efforts were unsuccessful, according to the statement.

“To our residents and visitors, please stay aware of the weather and the environment,” the fire department said. “You should immediately seek shelter when you hear thunder or see lightning.”

“Please keep yourself and your family safe. ‘When thunder roars, go indoors,’” the fire department added.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that the deceased victim was a male in his 50s.

“We urge all residents, visitors, and beachgoers to monitor the weather prior to going outside,” Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said in a post on X. “If you observe lightning in the immediate area: stay out of the water, seek immediate shelter, and stay clear of loose or tall objects that could pose a risk or injury.”

Authorities did not release descriptions of any of the other victims. It’s also unclear whether all four were struck directly by lightning or injured by being in its proximity.

The fire department did not immediately return a request for comment.

The town of Fort Myers Beach, located off the southwest Florida coast about 25 miles north of Naples, addressed the strike in a post on Facebook Friday.

“The Town of Fort Myers Beach extends its heartfelt thoughts and prayers to all those affected and to the family, loved ones, and friends of the deceased,” the town said.

In a separate post on Facebook Saturday, the town said it was closely monitoring weather conditions as it prepares for July Fourth celebrations and advised residents to seek shelter “promptly” in the event of lightning.



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