ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Four people were injured by a lightning strike in Downtown St. Petersburg on Thursday. Two people were transported as trauma alerts.
According to St. Petersburg Fire Rescue, around 5:45 p.m. there were reports of people struck by lightning while under a Banyan tree near the corner of 3rd Street and Beach Drive.
When paramedics arrived, they found two people under the tree and began life-saving measures. Two more people then told paramedics that they were also under the tree when the lightning hit.
SPFR said the victims were two 16-year-old girls, one 16-year-old boy and one 17-year-old boy.
A girl and boy were taken to Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital. SPFR said that paramedics were able to get a pulse on one of the females, who was in cardiac arrest, as they pulled up to the hospital. The boy is in stable condition, SPFR said.
The other two teenagers were taken to Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital. Both are in stable condition. The boy suffered burns as a result of the strike.
“You know, it might just be time we take a look if HOAs are really even necessary.
Maybe we should just do away with homeowner associations as a whole.”
South Florida lawmaker Rep. Juan Carlos Porras (R-Miami) says it may be time to do away with homeowners associations altogether, as more Floridians speak out about rising fees, costly lawsuits, and even arrests tied to HOA disputes. He said this week that he is considering filing legislation in the next session that would abolish HOAs statewide.
