A lightning strike turned deadly as the Independence Day weekend got underway in Southwest Florida.
Crews were dispatched to Fort Myers Beach, Florida, on Friday, July 3, after reports of a lightning strike in the area.
"Upon arrival, crews found one individual unresponsive, and three others who had to be transported," Fort Myers Beach Fire District said in a post on Facebook. "A bystander had deployed an AED and was performing CPR upon our arrival, however due to the injuries sustained efforts were not successful."
The victim was later identified as 51-year-old Viktar Kiryk, who was swimming when the lightning strike happened, according to local news station WINK.
According to data from the AccuWeather Lightning Network, the strike may have been a "bolt from the blue," when lightning hits an area miles away from a thunderstorm. These types of lightning strikes can be particularly dangerous as they happen when it is dry outside.
