CLEARWATER BEACH, Fla. (WFLA) — A day of sun and sand turned into a serious situation at a beach in Florida when a bolt of lightning struck a man.
Beach goers say a storm popped up and they heard what sounded like an explosion.
Clearwater Beach city officials say a man was directly hit and went into cardiac arrest.
He is in critical condition.
Seven other people were affected by the strike but only four of them went to the hospital.
A group of people jumped in to help carry the man who was badly hurt from the beach to a nearby restaurant.
They say it took only minutes for emergency crews to arrive and begin CPR on him.
Eyewitnes Ryan Tuttle said, “The guy that got directly hit, his whole shirt was burnt. There was no material where the lightning struck him. It was just a burnt hole. And then the other two were sitting on a bench over here. They were feeling the effects, but were okay.”
Clearwater Fire and Rescue remind beach-goers of the saying “when you hear the roar, go indoor.”
