St. Pete teens recovering from lightning strike in ‘significant storm’

ST.PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — Firefighters said four teenagers are still recovering after lightning struck a tree they were standing under.

It happened around 5:45 p.m. Thursday at North Straub park along Beach Drive near 3rd Avenue.

First responders said one of the teens went into cardiac arrest.

“We did get a pulse and breathing back in route to the hospital,” St. Pete Fire Rescue Operations Chief Richard Gomolak said. “We don’t think it was a direct strike on any one person in particular, but we think it hit the area. And that kind of created a problem.”

In the middle of the storm, crews gave the victims CPR.

Belinda Dumont watched from her window above Straub Park.

“You had to see our fire people, our first responders,” Dumont said. “It just filled your heart. They were running out in the rain and the lightning no matter what to come and help these kids.”

Two of the teens were taken to Bayfront Hospital and the other two to John’s Hopkins.

Assisting physician Danielle Mercurio described what the teens likely felt during the strike.

“It’s very painful,” Mercurio said. “But the pain generally is quick. But then it leaves an altered sensation. It does feel burning, you know, like a burning sensation. And most people are generally very uncomfortable.”

Max Defender 8 showed the thunder storm cells and lighting strikes over downtown.

if the storms we’re seeing this year are more significant than in previous years.

“This is a very different year,” News Channel 8’s Chief Meteorologist Jeff Berardelli said. “We’re seeing a lot more showers and thunderstorms this year. But there’s no general trend in lightning and thunder in the Bay Area.”

Dumont said she could tell this was going to be a rough storm.

“But it was horrendous. In a sense of straight falling down rain. Only Florida can produce this,” Dumont said.

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