LAKELAND -- A lightning strike in Polk County killed one person and injured 27 others Saturday, authorities told News 13.
According to Polk County Emergency Medical Services and Fire Rescue, lightning struck a wooden pole barn on Viola Road around 4:40 p.m. Saturday while a group was outdoors for 4th of July activities.
The man killed was identified as Benjamin Gonzalez, 30, of Lakeland.
According to Polk County Public Safety, 12 victims, including Gonzalez, were taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center. Three were taken to Bartow Regional Medical Center, and four to South Florida Hospital, in Plant City.
Another nine were treated for symptoms consistent with a lightning strike.
The conditions, ages and genders of those injured were not immediately released.
The victims were with a group of about 100 people from Inglesia Bautista Maranatha Baptist Church.
Polk County sheriff Grady Judd said there was a series of two or three lightning strikes, although there was no rain in the area.
Bay News 9 meteorologist Josh Linker verified there was no rain near the lightning strike. Linker said there was a storm well south of the strike that the lightning came from.
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