Five Injured After Apparent Lightning Strike In Poughkeepsie Park

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. -- Five people have been injured, three critically, from an apparent lightning strike late Friday afternoon in Mansion Square Park following a thunderstorm.

Five people were injured by lightning at Mansion Square Park in the City of Poughkeepsie shortly after a thunderstorm rolled through the area on Friday.
Photo Credit: *Facebook*

Lightning strikes captured Thursday night in Peekskill.
Photo Credit: *Skip Pearlman*

K Reakes

08/12/2016 6:06 p.m.

The city's 911 call center received calls reporting people struck by lightning around 4:20 p.m., according to City of Poughkeepsie Detective Lt. Matt Clark.

When rescue units arrived, they found a total of five people injured. Three were unresponsive, two were conscious, but injured, Clark said.

CPR was started on the three unresponsive people before they were transported to Vassar Hospital where they are still being treated, Clark said.

The two conscious victims were taken to Mid Hudson Regional Hospital where are receiving treatment, he added.

Everyone in the group, between the ages of 46 to 55 years old, were sitting or standing together near a park bench located on the north side of the park.

Two eyewitnesses report seeing a bolt of lightning strike near the group and saw articles near the people burning and smoking, Clark said.

Anyone else who may have witnessed this incident is asked to call the City of Poughkeepsie Police at 845-451-7577.

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