Florida Man, 20, Killed by a Storm's Very First Lightning Strike
The Disney community is mourning the loss of one of its workers after a lightning bolt struck a man on Tuesday evening in Florida. Here are the details of the incident.
Lightning Strike Claims Life of College Student in Florida
Tragedy unfolded in Celebration, Florida, on Tuesday evening when the first observed lightning event of a developing thunderstorm struck a 20-year-old and killed him. The lightning strike happened before any thunder was detected, meaning the victim had no audible warning that danger was lurking.
The victim was near a hotel in downtown Celebration when he was hit. Witnesses found the man lying unresponsive on a walking path just after the lightning strike was observed in the vicinity. According to data from the AccuLightning Network, the bolt was recorded at 6:32 pm EDT.
Local officials identified the victim as Matthew Jenkins. The Osceola County Sheriff's Office said that bystanders performed CPR at the scene in an attempt to revive Jenkins. He was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead.
The young man had recently moved to the area from Maryland to begin work with the Disney College Program. This program offers paid internship experience for college students and recent graduates. The participants live and work at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Most internships last between four and eight months.
Tuesday's Tragedy Was Sixth Lightning-Related Fatality This Year in Florida
The random nature of the lightning strike hitting before thunder has been detected serves as a warning about the unpredictability of this threat. Meteorologists warn that the first bolt can be just as deadly as the subsequent lightning activity. In addition, lightning can come on seemingly out of nowhere, even in the absence of detected thunder.
Tuesday's fatality is the 15th death blamed on lightning strikes thus far this year in the U.S. The Lightning Safety Council confirmed that six of these deaths have happened in Florida. The state records roughly 3,500 lightning flashes that reach the ground every day.
The council advises people to head to safety at the first roar of thunder.
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