Four people were seriously injured by a lightning strike near the White House on Thursday evening. A spokesman for the fire service told The Washington Post that the two men and two women were all taken to hospital in critical condition.
The four adults were found around 7 p.m. (local time) in Lafayette Square park next to the White House, just a few dozen yards from the statue of former President Andrew Jackson. What exactly happened is still under investigation by authorities.
A severe thunderstorm warning was issued in Washington on Thursday evening. A meteorologist confirms to The Washington Post that the park near the White House was struck by a lightning strike.
According to the American newspaper, about 23 people die every year in the United States as a result of a lightning strike.