Fatal Lightning Strike at Fort Myers Beach
A lightning strike killed one swimmer and injured three others at Fort Myers Beach in Florida on Friday afternoon, July 3. The incident occurred around 3 p.m. while the victims were swimming in the Gulf of Mexico.
Victims and Response
According to Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District Chief Scott Wirth, an unidentified man was struck directly and died. Three other swimmers, who were wading nearby, were injured and rushed to a hospital. Sarah Rodriguez of the Lee County Sheriff's Office reported that the three injured individuals were in stable condition.
Witness Accounts
Beachgoer Debra Crombie, who was on vacation with her family, described the strike as sounding like an atomic bomb. She told WINK News, "All of a sudden, it sounded like an atomic bomb went off. I could see the flash, and I couldn't see at that moment where it had hit, but I knew it had hit either on the beach or right at the shoreline." She added, "It was so bright our ears hurt, our eyes were blinded by it, like that’s how intense this was."
Crombie's relative saw the lightning strike the water and then split in two. She noted that children ran off the beach screaming, indicating someone had been hit. The man struck was pulled from the water and CPR was attempted, but he had died before emergency responders arrived.
Impact on Witnesses
Crombie believes the victim was staying at her resort with his family. She said, "We saw his child earlier in the day, and everyone was crying on and off, and I just can’t stop thinking about this family, and my heart just breaks for them. It was supposed to be this beautiful experience on beautiful Fort Myers Beach and now it’s not."
