Beachgoer Killed After Lightning Strikes Florida Beach as Witness Says It Sounded Like 'An Atomic Bomb Went Off'
A Florida beach outing turned tragic after a lightning strike killed one swimmer and injured three others.
July 4 2026, Published 4:40 p.m. ET
A relaxing day at the beach turned deadly after a lightning strike killed one swimmer and injured three others in Florida on Friday afternoon.
The group was in the Gulf near Fort Myers Beach around 3 p.m. when lightning struck the water, with one witness describing the terrifying blast as sounding like "an atomic bomb went off."
Witness Recalls Terrifying Lightning Strike
A witness said the lightning strike sounded like 'an atomic bomb went off' as chaos erupted on the beach.
Beachgoer Debra Crombie was vacationing with her family when the lightning struck.
"All of a sudden, it sounded like an atomic bomb went off," she told WINK News. "I could see the flash, and I couldn't see at that moment where it had hit, but I knew it had hit either on the beach or right at the shoreline."
"It was so bright our ears hurt, our eyes were blinded by it, like that's how intense this was."
Crombie said one of her family members watched the lightning hit the Gulf before it appeared to split in two.
"At that point, we saw kids running off the beach back to our resort, and they were screaming, and I'm like, 'Oh boy, I bet somebody got hit,'" she recalled.
One Person Dies, Three Others Hospitalized
One man died after being struck directly by lightning while swimming in the Gulf near Fort Myers Beach.
According to the Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District, one unidentified man was struck directly by the lightning and died.
Emergency crews attempted CPR after pulling him from the water, but he was pronounced dead before first responders could save him.
Three other swimmers who were wading nearby were also injured and transported to a local hospital.
Sarah Rodriguez of the Lee County Sheriff's Office said the injured victims "appear to be in stable condition."
Vacation Cut Short by Tragedy
A vacationer said she couldn't stop thinking about the victim's family after witnessing the devastating aftermath.
Crombie said she believes the victim was staying at the same resort as her family and remembered seeing him with his child earlier in the day.
"We saw his child earlier in the day, and everyone was crying on and off, and I just can't stop thinking about this family, and my heart just breaks for them," she said.
"It was supposed to be this beautiful experience on beautiful Fort Myers Beach, and now it's not."
She also noted there were "a considerable number of people" visiting the beach for the holiday weekend, adding many may not have understood the dangers of remaining in the water during a thunderstorm.
"It makes you think these people can't be from Florida. They don't understand how deadly the lightning is," she said. "I'm not judging them, but we were looking at it like, why are the kids on the beach?"
Officials Urge Beachgoers to Stay Alert
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Officials are warning beachgoers to stay out of the water and seek immediate shelter if lightning is nearby.
Following the incident, the Lee County Sheriff's Office urged residents and visitors to closely monitor weather conditions before heading outdoors.
"If you observe lightning in the immediate area: stay out of the water, seek immediate shelter, and stay clear of loose or tall objects that could pose a risk or injury," the agency wrote in a statement shared on X.
