Beyond the extreme heat, summer also brings rain and thunderstorms, and stray bolts of lightning. The latter is what happened on Tuesday in South Carolina.
At least 20 people were injured after lightning struck at a beach park in South Carolina. In a press release, the County of Lexington confirmed a lightning incident on June 24 at Dominion Beach Park. A stray bolt struck the beach park, injuring 20 people in the process. 12 children experienced injuries from the electric bolt. Fortunately, no one experienced any life-threatening injuries.
Given the deadliness of lightning, it's a fortunate situation that everyone can walk away. The press release described the aftermath.
It read, "Multiple Agencies Respond to Lightning Incident at Dominion Beach Park. Lexington County, SC - Lexington County Fire Service, Irmo Fire District, Lexington County EMS, and the Lexington County Sheriff's Department responded Tuesday afternoon to a reported electrocution at Dominion Beach Park near the Lake Murray Dam due to lightning."
Lightning Strikes
The press release also mentioned that 12 people ended up going to the hospital. All are expected to recover.
It continued, "Upon arrival, first responders assessed a total of 20 patients—8 adults and 12 juveniles. Twelve individuals were transported to three local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. All patients are expected to recover. Strong relationships with other local agencies played a critical role in ensuring a quick, coordinated response, allowing first responders to assess patients efficiently and provide the best possible care."Dominion Beach Park is expected to reopen tomorrow following safety assessments and clearance from authorities.
Officials added, "Upon arrival, first responders assessed a total of 20 patients — 8 adults and 12 juveniles."
Reposting the statement on Facebook, the Lexington County Sheriff's Department also wrote, "Multiple Agencies Respond to Electrocution Incident at Dominion Beach Park."
Meanwhile, Lexington County spokeswoman Vanessa Diaz said that the lightning struck without warning. It wasn't raining or anything prior to the weather event. "It didn't rain or anything like that; it was just a random storm cloud that went by," she said.
In related news, a newlywed died earlier this week in Florida. He had been on the beach when lightning struck and killed him
