The latest account of the lightning strike near the White House is tragic. According to the latest information, two people ended up and two others are hospitalized in critical condition.
As announced by local authorities and reported by CBS, from the lightning strike north of the White House, in Lafayette Square, two people died and two more were seriously injured.
UPDATE: 2 dead, 2 critically injured in lightning strikes in front of the White House pic.twitter.com/IVivIeQIfc
— BNO News (@BNONews) August 5, 2022
Washington State Police Public Affairs Specialist rianna Burch confirmed to CBS News that an elderly couple – a 76-year-old man and a 75-year-old woman from Janesville, Wisconsin – died. The other two people who were struck by lightning remain in critical condition.
Two men and two women were taken to area hospitals after being struck by lightning, District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services spokesman Vito Maggiolo said at a news conference Thursday afternoon (08/04/2022), local time.
Uniformed Secret Service agents and U.S. park rangers who were in the area and witnessed the incident administered first aid to the victims, Vito Maggiolo said.
“Their agents, their officers, saw that lightning strike and immediately started rendering aid,” Maggiolo said.
It is unclear exactly what the victims were doing at the time.
“All we know for sure is that there was lightning in their immediate vicinity and all four were injured,” he said.
Our camera was rolling on the White House North Lawn tonight when lightning struck Lafayette Park nearby, injuring four. The thunder was so loud, @gabrielle_ake and I jumped up in fright. “That’s too close — we’re shutting down” advised photographer Ron Windham. pic.twitter.com/oTtU9VeQBw
— Nancy Cordes (@nancycordes) August 5, 2022
A CBS News camera on the North Lawn of the White House at the time of the lightning strike captured the powerful rumble of thunder. , Nancy Cordes.