Summer beach day turns dangerous as lightning strikes three at St. Augustine Pier in Florida

Three people were injured after being struck by lightning in a popular summer beach getaway town on Saturday night Two of the casualties of the strike in St Augustine Pier in Florida were transported to the hospital one in critical condition and one with minor injuries according to WJXT A third person refused to be taken to the hospital The pier was closed down while fire crews attended to the injured and it was inspected for damage It is expected to reopen on Monday MOTHER NATURE STEALS THE SHOW AS LIGHTNING SETS OFF FLORIDA FIREWORKS DISPLAY Please avoid the pier while exigency operations are underway and remember when thunder roars go indoors St John's County Fire Rescue commented in a Facebook post Stay safe and weather aware St Augustine Beach Mayor Dylan Rumrell echoed that sentiment warning residents to seek shelter if they hear thunder There s a big storm and lightning can hit at any time he reportedly announced According to the summary the lightning strike left beachgoers swimmers and surfers in a panic and numerous ran for their cars in the immediate aftermath LIGHTNING STRIKE INJURES AT POPULAR SOUTH CAROLINA VACATION GETAWAY I got scared everybody was scared commented one witness According to the National Weather Arrangement there have been six lightning strike fatalities in the United Sates in all in different states North Carolina Texas Mississippi Florida and Oklahoma have all seen fatal strikes The -year average annual fatality rate from lightning strikes is people per year To reduce the liability of being struck by lightning the National Weather System instructs people to at once move away from high ground including hills mountain ridges or peaks The organization says never to lie down to avoid lightning never to hide under an isolated tree never use a cliff or rocky overhang for shelter and to directly move away from bodies of water and anything that conducts electricity