A lightning strike in Seminole County has resulted in a man being hospitalized after a tree fell on his pickup truck, according to local fire officials. The incident occurred yesterday at approximately 5:30 p.m., near the intersection of East Orange Street and Virginia Avenue in Altamonte Springs. ClickOrlando reported that a lawn service worker was inside the vehicle when the tree, hit by lightning, crashed down and trapped the person.
Seminole County Fire Rescue used specialized equipment to quickly and safely extricate the worker. The extent of the damage to the vehicle was such that first responders had to dismantle portions of the truck to free the victim, which they described as a "miraculous" survival. Despite the dramatic scene, the injuries sustained are reported as non-life-threatening. This information comes from FOX 35 Orlando, which also noted that the identity of the injured man and the full extent of his injuries have not been disclosed.
Residents recounted that the storm's arrival was quick and tempestuous, with one neighbor recalling a sharp thunderclap followed by the sounds of emergency vehicles converging on the scene. The neighbor went on to describe seeing the fire department in the process of cutting apart the vehicle to reach the driver. After the successful rescue, cleanup crews were seen cutting the downed tree into pieces and removing the debris.
