In an incident that occurred on Monday, August 7, a 28-year-old man lost his life in Alabama due to a lightning strike.
The victim, Marquin Russell, a resident of Florence, was struck in the parking lot of the Florence Industrial Park where he worked.
The incident unfolded during a storm. Florence Police Sgt. Ryan Kelly said that local police, fire, and EMS units responded to a medical call.
However, their efforts to save the man were unsuccessful and Russell succumbed to his injuries.
“He was the humblest, kindhearted young man I knew. And he would give you the shirt off his back if he had to,” Russell’s mourning father, Marquin Russell, Sr. said.
Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that lightning-related fatalities remain a consistent concern.
On average, the United States sees 28 lightning-related deaths each year. Alabama is among several states, including Florida, Texas, Colorado, and North Carolina, where such incidents are most common.