3 out of 4 people killed by lightning in a park near the White House, the residence of the US President.

Another person is under treatment in hospital with serious injuries.

Washington police confirmed this information.

According to a report from the news agency AFP,

the lightning struck the small park called Lafayette Square adjacent to the White House around 7 pm local time on Thursday.

Two women and two men were seriously injured. They were taken to the nearest hospital as soon as possible after the incident.

2 men and a woman who were injured on Friday died on Friday. Police said that the condition of the other injured woman is also critical.

A man and a woman have been identified among the dead. They are 76-year-old James Mueller and his wife, 75-year-old Donna Mueller.

A resident of Janesville, Wisconsin, in the western state of the United States.

• The couple came to visit the capital Washington. Thursday was their 56th wedding anniversary.
• They were celebrating their wedding anniversary in Lafayette Square. At that time there was a sudden lightning.
• At that time, another man and woman who were staying near them were also seriously injured by the lightning.
• They have not yet been identified, but both are under the age of 30, police told AFP.
• Donna and James Mueller died Friday afternoon. Then the 29-year-old died in the evening.
• The young woman who was with him is still alive, but the doctor said her condition is critical.
• Meanwhile, the White House has issued a statement condoling the victims in the incident.
• Press secretary Karin Jean-Pierre said in a statement, ‘We are shocked by this incident.

Heartfelt condolences to those killed, and prayers for those still alive

Eyewitnesses said that many of the people present in Lafayette Square Park took

shelter under various trees in the park when the storm started on Thursday evening.

The Müller couple and the young couple took shelter under a tree like

the others and suddenly a bolt of lightning struck the same tree.

Due to the suddenness of the incident and the hostile weather, no one could reach them immediately,

but the four people were rescued and taken to a local hospital within a short time.

An eyewitness named David Root told the American media NBC, “It (lightning) was in one word unbelievable.”

I have never seen such an incident in my entire life.

According to the United States Weather Service, an average of 27 people

have been killed by lightning each year in the country over the past decade.

A large number of them were killed by direct lightning strikes,

the rest died of cardiac arrest caused by the noise of the lightning.