Lightning Strike At South Carolina Dam Leaves 12 Hospitalized

A sunny afternoon at a lakeside beach in 🌴South Carolina took a sudden and dangerous turn when an unexpected ⚡Lightning strike sent more than a dozen people to local hospitals. The incident occurred Tuesday at 📍Dominion Beach Park, near 🌊Lake Murray Dam, where families had gathered to enjoy the warm weather.

Emergency responders from Lexington County quickly arrived and assessed 20 individuals — among them 12 children. Eighteen were treated on-site, and 12 were transported to hospitals with injuries officials described as non-life-threatening.

County spokesperson Vanessa Diaz said all patients are expected to recover, according to the Associated Press.

The lightning hit the water while several swimmers were near or holding onto a metal cable surrounding the designated swim area.

“Everybody got quite a jolt,” the Irmo Fire District shared in a social media post. “We’re so fortunate that injuries were not worse than they were.”