Video emerged Thursday evening showing the series of lightning strikes that are believed to have been responsible for critically injuring four adults outside the White House.
Fox 5 journalist Lindsay Watts tweeted out video that was captured by the local station’s cameras that she said occurred at approximately the same time that the four individuals were hit.
WATCH:
WATCH: Fox weather camera captured this incredible lightning strike around the time the 4 people were struck near White House. https://t.co/9liRqW7tqx @fox5dc pic.twitter.com/fsXTKCpYQq
— Lindsay Watts (@LindsayAWatts) August 5, 2022
CBS News journalist Nancy Cordes tweeted out a video from on the ground near the White House that showed the surrounding area as the lightning hit.
“Our camera was rolling on the White House North Lawn tonight when lightning struck Lafayette Park nearby, injuring four,” she tweeted. “The thunder was so loud, @gabrielle_ake and I jumped up in fright. ‘That’s too close — we’re shutting down’ advised photographer Ron Windham.”
Our camera was rolling on the White House North Lawn tonight when lightning struck Lafayette Park nearby, injuring four. The thunder was so loud, @gabrielle_ake and I jumped up in fright. “That’s too close — we’re shutting down” advised photographer Ron Windham. pic.twitter.com/oTtU9VeQBw
— Nancy Cordes (@nancycordes) August 5, 2022
The District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department said that four people were critically injured in Lafayette Park by the lightning strike.
First responders “transported 2 adult males & 2 adult females to area hospitals,” the department said on Twitter. “All had critical life threatening injuries.”
Fire department spokesman Vito Maggiolo told The Washington Post that the four adults were found approximately 100 feet away from the statue of Andrew Jackson.
Chris Vagasky, a meteorologist and lightning expert who works as an analyst for a company that makes weather instruments, told The Washington Post that there was a “6 stroke flash near the White House that hit the same point on the ground” which means that six separate lightning strikes hit the same exact spot in a fraction of a second.
A spokesman for DC Fire and EMS said in a video published on social media over an hour later providing an update on the situation.
“This statement is being made inside of a vehicle due to was significant storm conditions that are currently taking place in the area,” the spokesman said. “At 6:52pm, DC fire and EMS received a report of a lightning strike in Lafayette Park with multiple patients. When we arrived, we found a total of four patients. There were two adult males and there were two adult females. All four were suffering from critical life threatening injuries.”
“We were able to quickly treat and transport all four patients and they were all taken to area hospitals,” the spokesman continued. “We want to make note of the fact that uniformed officers from both the United States Secret Service uniformed division, as well as the United States Park Police who witnessed this lightning strike, we want to thank them for immediately responding to the scene and rendering aid to the for injured individuals.”
This report has been updated to include additional information.
