The Tampa Tribune
Ted Jackovics & Natalie Shepherd
July 4, 2009
A few clouds drifted across the sky, but the sun was shining Saturday afternoon when a series of lightning strikes hit a Fourth of July church picnic where 100 parishioners gathered in Lakeland, killing one person.
Eighteen people were taken to area hospitals where they were treated and released after lightning struck the field where the parishioners were playing ball, Polk County authorities said.
"There was no rain or anything, it was just lightning popped out of nowhere," said Brian Thompson, who saw the strike from his nearby home about 4:40 p.m. Saturday.
"I looked across the street, and saw a bunch of people running around."
Emergency Medical Services personnel treated about 28 people at the scene, whose ages ranged from 7 to 43.
Benjamin Gonzalez, 30, of 725 Jeh Road in Lakeland, died after being taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center, the Polk County Sheriff's Office reported.
Some parishioners of the Inglesia Bautista Maranatha Church were playing volleyball and soccer while others were beneath a structure with a roof but no sides when lightning struck at the property at 4444 Viola Road, authorities said.
"Nothing at all would indicate to them that there was a danger," said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. "There was no rain, and all of a sudden, there was a series, a rapid series, of lightning strikes."
"I met with a hundred people. I had the opportunity to speak with them, pray with them. One man told me his left side was numb, and it felt like the top of his head was on fire.
"Quite frankly, it was a tragedy in the middle of what was a wonderful afternoon."
Witnesses said Gonzalez collapsed after multiple lightning strikes hit the field where he was playing soccer. Church members ran to Gonzalez's aid and contacted Emergency Medical Services.
"People were upset, but no one mentioned panic," said Donna Wood, public information officer for the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
Gonzalez did not appear to have been struck directly by lightning, but his injuries were consistent with injuries suffered in lightning strikes, she said. The cause of death will not be determined until an autopsy is conducted.
"We are not able to say if the death was caused by a direct strike," Wood said.
Emergency units took victims to Lakeland Regional Medical Center, Bartow Regional Medical Center, and South Florida Baptist Hospital in Plant City.
The gathering included children and adults. The sheriff's office listed the following individuals as being treated and released: Uriel Trejo, 20; Nestor Torres, 19; Daniel Ramerez, 18; Jose Ocampo, 27; Lizeth Nieto, 12; Anahi Nieto, 14; Isabel Manuel, 15; Angel Huitron, 7; Ana Juan, 14; Irma Torrez, 23; Samuel Valero-Trejo, 29; Ana Francisco, 12; Rosa Estrada, age unknown; Juana Francisco, 22; Javier Morales, 24; Vanessa Araujo, 13; Augusta Torres, 43; and Joel Nieto, 14.
Thompson has lived on this street his whole life. He said he has seen storms come up quickly, but very rarely lightning that strikes out of the blue.
"Not really, it was just crazy. it was really crazy."
On Sunday, a man who answered the door at the church said that services had been cancelled for the day.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/jul/04/041017/several-people-hurt-lakeland-lightning-strike/news-breaking/
Ted Jackovics & Natalie Shepherd
July 4, 2009
A few clouds drifted across the sky, but the sun was shining Saturday afternoon when a series of lightning strikes hit a Fourth of July church picnic where 100 parishioners gathered in Lakeland, killing one person.
Eighteen people were taken to area hospitals where they were treated and released after lightning struck the field where the parishioners were playing ball, Polk County authorities said.
"There was no rain or anything, it was just lightning popped out of nowhere," said Brian Thompson, who saw the strike from his nearby home about 4:40 p.m. Saturday.
"I looked across the street, and saw a bunch of people running around."
Emergency Medical Services personnel treated about 28 people at the scene, whose ages ranged from 7 to 43.
Benjamin Gonzalez, 30, of 725 Jeh Road in Lakeland, died after being taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center, the Polk County Sheriff's Office reported.
Some parishioners of the Inglesia Bautista Maranatha Church were playing volleyball and soccer while others were beneath a structure with a roof but no sides when lightning struck at the property at 4444 Viola Road, authorities said.
"Nothing at all would indicate to them that there was a danger," said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. "There was no rain, and all of a sudden, there was a series, a rapid series, of lightning strikes."
"I met with a hundred people. I had the opportunity to speak with them, pray with them. One man told me his left side was numb, and it felt like the top of his head was on fire.
"Quite frankly, it was a tragedy in the middle of what was a wonderful afternoon."
Witnesses said Gonzalez collapsed after multiple lightning strikes hit the field where he was playing soccer. Church members ran to Gonzalez's aid and contacted Emergency Medical Services.
"People were upset, but no one mentioned panic," said Donna Wood, public information officer for the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
Gonzalez did not appear to have been struck directly by lightning, but his injuries were consistent with injuries suffered in lightning strikes, she said. The cause of death will not be determined until an autopsy is conducted.
"We are not able to say if the death was caused by a direct strike," Wood said.
Emergency units took victims to Lakeland Regional Medical Center, Bartow Regional Medical Center, and South Florida Baptist Hospital in Plant City.
The gathering included children and adults. The sheriff's office listed the following individuals as being treated and released: Uriel Trejo, 20; Nestor Torres, 19; Daniel Ramerez, 18; Jose Ocampo, 27; Lizeth Nieto, 12; Anahi Nieto, 14; Isabel Manuel, 15; Angel Huitron, 7; Ana Juan, 14; Irma Torrez, 23; Samuel Valero-Trejo, 29; Ana Francisco, 12; Rosa Estrada, age unknown; Juana Francisco, 22; Javier Morales, 24; Vanessa Araujo, 13; Augusta Torres, 43; and Joel Nieto, 14.
Thompson has lived on this street his whole life. He said he has seen storms come up quickly, but very rarely lightning that strikes out of the blue.
"Not really, it was just crazy. it was really crazy."
On Sunday, a man who answered the door at the church said that services had been cancelled for the day.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/jul/04/041017/several-people-hurt-lakeland-lightning-strike/news-breaking/
