4 critically injured in apparent lightning strike near White House
A statue of former president Andrew Jackson is seen inside Lafayette Park, Friday, Oct. 9, 2020, in front of the White House in Washington. (Photo: via Associated Press)
Four people were injured in an apparent lightning strike near the White House on Thursday evening, according to fire officials.
DC Fire and EMS said two men and two women were transported to area hospitals after being found just before 7 p.m. in Lafayette Square. The adults were found about 100 feet from the statue of Andrew Jackson, which sits just north of the White House, Vito Maggiolo, a spokesman for the fire department, told The Washington Post.
Officials said all four people have critical, life threatening injuries. The cause of their injuries remains under investigation.
Apparent lightning strike Lafayette Park NW. #DCsBravest on scene in the process of treating and transporting 4 patients, all in critical condition. pic.twitter.com/1jyCh44Q2n
— DC Fire and EMS (@dcfireems) August 4, 2022
The Andrew Jackson statue, a bronze cast of the seventh president atop a horse, sits on a marble base and is surrounded by a fence.
About 27 people die from lightning strikes each year in the U.S., according to averages over the last 10 years. Only about 10% of those struck by lightning are killed.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
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