Victims were close to the White House fence when incident occurred
Elderly couple James Mueller, 76 and Donna Mueller, 75, who were celebrating their 56th wedding anniversary in Washington DC died in a lightning strike near the White House along with an unnamed 29-year old man on Friday.
News reports said the victims were in Lafayette Park just north of the White House when the lightning struck hitting four victims who were close to the fence of the US President’s office as recorded by a nearby camera.
The fourth victim remained critically injured.
Lafayette Park is a sprawling seven-acre public park and is always crowded with visitors, especially during summer.
The Wisconsin couple leaves behind five children, 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, according to one news report.
Lightning Fatalities
Emergency personnel had said all four involved in the incident “had critical life-threatening injuries.”
White House, in a statement said they were “saddened by the tragic loss of life” after the lightning strike.
“Our hearts are with the families who lost loved ones, and we are praying for those still fighting for their lives,” the statement read.
It was reported that the United States has seen at least 12 lightning fatalities this year.
“This is a sad reminder that you should never shelter under a tree when thunderstorms approach,” the National Lightning Safety Council tweeted on Friday. – Agencies
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