Date: 5 August 2022 6:27am WAT
Tourists and Washingtonians visit Lafayette Square near the White House in Washington, DC, on May 10, 2021, as the area reopens to the public. - Lafayette Square reopened to pedestrians nearly a year after authorities fenced off the area as demonstrations grew in size in response to the death of George Floyd. (Photo by Eric BARADAT / AFP)
Tourists and Washingtonians visit Lafayette Square near the White House in Washington, DC, on May 10, 2021, as the area reopens to the public. - Lafayette Square reopened to pedestrians nearly a year after authorities fenced off the area as demonstrations grew in size in response to the death of George Floyd. (Photo by Eric BARADAT / AFP)
The lightning struck a small park across the street from the White House, leaving two men and two women with “critical life-threatening injuries,” according to a statement from Washington’s fire and emergencies department.
All the victims have been taken to local hospitals.
Photos posted by the department on social media showed multiple ambulances and at least one fire truck with flashing lights working at the scene.
A severe thunderstorm hit the American capital on Thursday evening.
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