Four adults hospitalized after lightning strike near El Mirage school
El Mirage Fire Captain Joseph Rivera stated that none of the injured were directly struck, though one woman held an umbrella when the bolt hit nearby.
By Aiko Sato ·
Four adults were transported to a nearby hospital on Friday morning after a lightning strike occurred at the El Mirage Elementary School bus drop-off. All four patients were conscious upon arrival, according to the El Mirage Police Department.
First responders arrived just after 8:30 a.m. following reports of the strike. El Mirage Fire Captain Joseph Rivera explained that the individuals were not hit directly by the lightning. He noted that one woman was holding an umbrella at the time. She reported feeling pain in both arms after the bolt struck the vicinity.
Carrie, a librarian at the El Mirage Library located across the street, described the moment the storm hit. She said the thunder and lightning sounded simultaneous and loud enough to make her jump. "It felt like the building almost shook," she said. She added that the event triggered a wave of at least a dozen car alarms across the street.
The incident took place during the first round of storms to cross the Phoenix area on Friday. Around 8 a.m., fast-moving weather systems brought heavy rain and hail to nearby communities including Peoria, Sun City, and Buckeye.
Carrie finished her account by noting that the rain intensified immediately after the strike. "It's wild," she said. "Then the rain just came down in buckets."
