On Friday evening, August 12, five people were struck by lightning in Poughkeepsie.
According to authorities the lightning struck at around 4 p.m. in Mansion Square Park where the victims were all sitting on a bench under a tree.
According to witnesses there was a bolt of lightning which hit the ground then smoke and fire leading to the wooden bench being totally destroyed.
Three people had life threatening injuries and were taken to Vassar Brothers Hospital, and the other two were less seriously hurt and were transported to Mid Hudson Regional Hospital.
All of the victims were between 46 and 55 and a 50 year old male died of heart failure the following day and another, who was a 46 year old male also died later.
The others are all still stable in hospital.
According to the National Weather Service, the chance of being struck by lightning is 1 in 960,000, and so far this year, 27 people have been struck and killed by lightning across the U.S.
If you are caught in a thunderstorm you should take shelter in a sturdy building or in a hard top vehicle with the windows up. You should not be in a boat or open water.
If in the house you should unplug appliances, don’t use electrical equipment and do not take a bath or shower.
If outdoors, stay away from poles, fences and trees and squat down on the balls of your feet. Make yourself as small as possible by tucking into a ball but with the least contact possible with the ground.
If you were involved in an accident, please call the Poughkeepsie accident attorneys of Denlea & Carton LLP., at (914) 331-0100 right away or contact us online today.