A lightning strike in South Carolina on Tuesday sent eight adults and 12 children to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Lexington County officials said on social media that the incident happened in the afternoon when the lightning hit Dominion Beach Park near Lake Murray Dam.
A swimming area at the park is surrounded by a metal cable with buoys attached, the Irmo Fire District said on social media. Several victims swam up to the buoys and were holding the cable when the lightning hit the water, sending electricity into the metal wiring, Irmo Fire officials said.
The electrocuted victims were sent to three hospitals and were expected to recover, county officials said.
No storm system appeared before the strike.
“It didn’t rain or anything like that; it was just a random storm cloud that went by,” Lexington County spokeswoman Vanessa Diaz said in a statement given to NBC News.
The beach park was closed for the remainder of Tuesday but is expected to open back up Wednesday, Lexington County officials said.
