3 men struck by lightning all expected to survive

ByEyewitness News WABC logo
Wednesday, August 8, 2018
3 men struck by lightning in Queens
Candace McCowan has more on the men's conditions.

FLUSHING, Queens -- Three men are recovering after they were struck by lightning in a pair of incidents on Tuesday. Two of the victims were struck on a soccer field at Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

According to police, two men were struck while playing soccer in near the Queens Zoo.

"Thunder just went boom! And I felt it," said Andrew Graneros, a witness. "I stopped everything I was doing. As you turn around you just see two guys lying on the floor and see a guy running towards us, saying, 'Call the police, call the police!'"

Viewers posted dramatic images on social media of lightning strikes in and around New York City on August 7, 2018.
Cory Seamer/Twitter

One of the men, 30, is in critical condition with burns and the other, 42, is listed in serious but stable condition.

A third man was struck by lightning about four miles away. The 33-year-old victim was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The strikes occurred as a line of strong storms moved through the New York City area.

Heavy amounts of rain came down quickly during the storm, leaving some flash flooding in Rego Park where water rushed up onto the sidewalk.