<p class="speakable">Three people were injured after being <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/weather" rel="noopener" target="_blank">struck by lightning</a> in a popular summer beach getaway town on Saturday night. </p><p class="speakable">Two of the victims of the strike in St. Augustine Pier <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/us/us-regions/southeast/florida" rel="noopener" target="_blank">in Florida</a> were transported to the hospital, one in critical condition and one with minor injuries, according to <a href="https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2025/07/12/st-johns-county-fire-rescue-treating-multiple-people-who-were-struck-by-lightning-at-st-augustine-pier/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">WJXT</a>. A third person refused to be taken to the hospital. </p><p>The pier was closed down while fire crews attended to the injured, and it was inspected for damage. It is expected to reopen on Monday. </p><p><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/mother-nature-steals-show-lightning-sets-florida-fireworks-display" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><strong>MOTHER NATURE STEALS THE SHOW AS LIGHTNING SETS OFF FLORIDA FIREWORKS DISPLAY</strong></a></p><p>"Please avoid the pier while emergency operations are underway — and remember, when thunder roars, go indoors," St. John's County Fire Rescue said in a Facebook post. "Stay safe and weather aware."</p><p>St. Augustine Beach Mayor Dylan Rumrell echoed that sentiment, warning residents to seek shelter if they hear thunder. </p><p>"There’s a big storm and lightning can hit at any time," he reportedly said. </p><p>According to the report, the lightning strike left beachgoers, swimmers and surfers in a panic, and many ran for their cars in the immediate aftermath. </p><p><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/lightning-strike-injures-20-popular-south-carolina-vacation-getaway" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><strong>LIGHTNING STRIKE INJURES 20 AT POPULAR SOUTH CAROLINA VACATION GETAWAY</strong></a></p><p>"I got scared, everybody was scared," said one witness. </p><p>According to the <a href="https://www.weather.gov/safety/lightning-fatalities" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">National Weather Service</a>, there have been six lightning strike fatalities in the United Sates in 2025, all in different states. North Carolina, Texas, Mississippi, Florida and Oklahoma have all seen fatal strikes. </p><p>The 10-year average annual fatality rate from lightning strikes is 20 people per year. </p><p>To reduce the risk of being <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/us/disasters/lightning" rel="noopener" target="_blank">struck by lightning</a>, the National Weather Service instructs people to immediately move away from high ground, including hills, mountain ridges or peaks.</p><p> <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/apps-products?pid=AppArticleLink"><strong>CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP</strong></a></p><p>The organization says never to lie down to avoid lightning, never to hide under an isolated tree, never use a cliff or rocky overhang for shelter and to immediately move away from bodies of water and anything that conducts electricity. </p>