NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — Two people were struck separate lightning strikes during a Tuesday afternoon storm in New Smyrna Beach, city officials said.
One person was working outside at an AutoZone store when they were hit by an “indirect” lightning strike, WFTV reports, citing fire officials. That person was taken to the hospital where they are said to be alert.
The second person was a man doing landscaping work with a coworker around 4 p.m. in a neighborhood, according to reports.
Neighbor Mary Buluta told WKMG that the two men got her attention during the storm to point out a palm tree in her backyard that had caught fire after getting struck by lightning.
Moments later, she told the news station, one of the men was hit by lightning and fell to the ground.
That's when another neighbor, Edward Williams, reportedly ran over to help.
"When I found him, the back of his head was singed and when I rolled him over, his pants were gone," he told WESH. "They were shredded burnt off him."
Williams performed CPR until fire officials arrived, according to the news station. The worker was in critical condition but was pronounced dead due to his injuries.
New Smyrna Beach city officials shared some lightning safety tips on Wednesday following the two lightning strikes:
- Seek shelter in a sturdy building or car
- Pay attention to weather alerts and warnings
- Avoid driving through flooded roadways
Florida led the nation with the most lightning deaths in 2021. There were 11 lightning-related deaths across the U.S., with four in Florida, two in New Jersey and one each in California, Georgia, New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, according to the National Lightning Safety Council.