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Two dead after lightning strike near White House | |
(about 7 hours later) | |
Emergency services were called to the scene near the White House on Thursday | |
An elderly couple from Wisconsin have died after they were struck by lightning near the White House in Washington DC, police say. | |
James Mueller, 76, and Donna Mueller, 75, died from their injuries. | |
Two others were struck and injured and have been taken to hospital in the city. | |
The victims were in Lafayette Park during a violent storm on Thursday when they were struck down, fire officials said. | |
The park's closeness to the seat of the US presidency meant members of the US Secret Service were among the first people to assist the victims. | |
The White House offered condolences to the families of the couple who died. "We are praying for those still fighting for their lives," said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. | |
The lightning struck the four people near a tree by the fence that surrounds the White House complex. | |
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. | |
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. |