Lightning strikes Florida beach town, leaving three people injured

Three people were injured after being struck by lightning in a popular summer beach getaway town on Saturday night. 

Two of the victims 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. 

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“Please avoid the pier while emergency operations are underway — and remember, when thunder roars, go indoors,” St. John’s County Fire Rescue said 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 said. 

According to the report, the lightning strike left beachgoers, swimmers and surfers in a panic, and many ran for their cars in the immediate aftermath. 

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“I got scared, everybody was scared,” said one witness. 

According to the National Weather Service, there have been six lightning strike fatalities in the United Sates in 2025, all in different states. North Carolina, Texas, Mississippi, Florida and Oklahoma have all seen fatal strikes. 

The 10-year average annual fatality rate from lightning strikes is 20 people per year. 

To reduce the risk of being struck by lightning, the National Weather Service instructs people to immediately 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 immediately move away from bodies of water and anything that conducts electricity.