WASHINGTON: A man and woman in their late seventies were pronounced dead, and two others remained in critical condition on Friday, after being struck by lightning in a park near the White House as a severe storm swept through the US capital.
The lightning hit Lafayette Square, a small park across the street from the White House, shortly before 7:00 pm (2300 GMT) on Thursday, leaving two men and two women with "critical life-threatening injuries," according to a statement from Washington's fire and emergencies department.
All the victims were taken to local hospitals, but on Friday morning the Metropolitan Police confirmed that two of them -- 75-year-old Donna Mueller and 76-year-old James Mueller, both from Janesville in Wisconsin -- had been pronounced dead.
The other two adults remain in critical condition, police said.
A White House spokeswoman said the Biden administration was "saddened by the tragic loss of life."
"We are praying for those still fighting for their lives," added Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in a statement.
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