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| Four people critically injured by lightning strike near White House | Four people critically injured by lightning strike near White House |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Emergency services were called to the scene | Emergency services were called to the scene |
| Four people have been critically injured after being struck by lightning near the White House. | Four people have been critically injured after being struck by lightning near the White House. |
| The two men and two women were in Lafayette Park in Washington DC during a violent storm when they were struck down, fire officials said. | The two men and two women were in Lafayette Park in Washington DC during a violent storm when they were struck down, fire officials said. |
| Because of the park's closeness to the seat of the US presidency, members of the secret service were among the first people to assist the victims. | Because of the park's closeness to the seat of the US presidency, members of the secret service were among the first people to assist the victims. |
| The identities of those injured have not yet been confirmed. | The identities of those injured have not yet been confirmed. |
| The lightning struck the four people near a tree by the fence that surrounds the White House complex on Thursday evening. | |
| "All four were suffering from critical, life-threatening injuries," said DC Fire and EMS in a statement. "We were able to quickly treat and transport all four patients and they were all taken to area hospitals." | "All four were suffering from critical, life-threatening injuries," said DC Fire and EMS in a statement. "We were able to quickly treat and transport all four patients and they were all taken to area hospitals." |
| Officials have yet to establish whether they knew each other and what they were doing before the lightning strike. | Officials have yet to establish whether they knew each other and what they were doing before the lightning strike. |
| In the wake of the incident, part of the park remained closed, with emergency services at the scene. | In the wake of the incident, part of the park remained closed, with emergency services at the scene. |
| The National Weather Service had issued a thunderstorm warning for the area on Thursday evening. | The National Weather Service had issued a thunderstorm warning for the area on Thursday evening. |
| Lafayette Square is a seven-acre public park directly north of the White House. It is often crowded with visitors, especially during the summer. | Lafayette Square is a seven-acre public park directly north of the White House. It is often crowded with visitors, especially during the summer. |