Two people were killed and two others were seriously injured in a lightning strike near the White House in Washington on Thursday evening, local police confirmed to AFP on Friday.
“Two people have been reported killed by lightning in Lafayette Square“, a few meters from the White House gates, police said. They were James Mueller, 76, and Donna Mueller, 75, a couple from the rural state of Wisconsin, officials said.
Two other victims remain.”in critical conditionWhite House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre offered her condolences to the families of the dead in a statement Friday, according to police.His prayers for those who are still fighting for their lives“.
Lightning struck the public park bordering the US President’s residence minutes before 7:00 pm (23:00 GMT) on Thursday. Photos released by firefighters showed dozens of rescue vehicles in a tree-lined square as the storm continued to pound Washington.
According to data from US health authorities, the probability of being struck by lightning is 1 in 1 million. “Take shelter in a safe place when lightning strikes. Trees, of course, are not safe places“, Vito Maggiolo, a spokesman for Washington’s firefighters, told local media.
“Food trailblazer. Passionate troublemaker. Coffee fanatic. General analyst. Certified creator. Lifelong music expert. Alcohol specialist.”