2 Dead, 2 in Critical Condition Following Lightning Strike in D.C. Park Near the White House
A lightning strike near the White House at Lafayette Park left two dead and two in critical condition on Thursday, a D.C. police spokesman said in a news conference on Friday.
76-year-old James Mueller and 75-year-old Donna Meuller — both from Janesville, Wisconsin — were identified as the fatal victims, ABC News reported.
The incident happened around 7 p.m. in the center of the park, about 100 ft. from the statue of Andrew Jackson, fire department spokesman Vito Maggiolo said at a news briefing Thursday night, The Washington Post reported.
DC Fire & EMS/Twitter
After the strike, the U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Park Police were first on the scene and provided life-saving aid until paramedics arrived, Fox Weather reported.
D.C. Fire and EMS soon arrived and found the victims in "the vicinity of a tree," ABC News reported. All four victims were transported to nearby hospitals with "life-threatening injuries."
On Friday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre issued a statement in the tragic incident. "We are saddened by the tragic loss of life after the lightning strike in Lafayette Park," read the statement. "Our hearts are with the families who lost loved ones, and we are praying for those still fighting for their lives."
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D.C. Police did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment but in the news conference, authorities did not disclose whether the victims were tourists or knew about the incoming storm.
Before the thunderstorm, the National Weather Service had issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the area Thursday evening, Fox Weather reported.
Doppler radar showed strong storms moving through the region shortly before 7 p.m., the outlet reported.
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The two victims are the first lightning deaths in the District of Columbia since 1991, according to the National Lightning Safety Council, the outlet reported. From their statistics, everyone in the U.S. has a 1/18,043 chance of struck by lightning in their lifetime.
The council's recommendation for when it storms is direct: go indoors. "No place outside is safe when thunderstorms are in the area," the council stated. "When thunder roars, go indoors!"
