One man died, and three people were injured when lightning struck at Fort Myers Beach on Friday afternoon, according to the local fire district.

The four people were swimming in the Gulf when suddenly bright lightning flashed and booming thunder crashed, as reported by local news outlet WINK. When first responders arrived, one person was unresponsive, and the three others were transported to the hospital, according to the Fort Myers Beach Fire District. A bystander had already deployed an AED and was administering CPR to the unresponsive man, but all lifesaving attempts were unsuccessful.

The man who died was struck directly by the lightning, the fire chief told WINK News. According to Gulf Coast News, there was only one lightning strike within 15 miles of the area.

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(MORE: From Texas to Florida, these states are the lightning kings)

"It really wasn't a terribly strong thunderstorm," said Rob Duns, a Gulf Coast News meteorologist, in a local TV broadcast. "Anytime there is a cloud-to-ground lightning strike, it is a dangerous situation. And unfortunately for those folks who were just enjoying the beach, it turned deadly here with that one lightning strike."

Florida led the U.S. in lightning deaths between 2016 and 2025 with 51 fatalities, according to the Lightning Safety Council. Texas ranked second with 21 deaths.

Here are some lightning safety tips provided by the National Fire Protection Association:

• If you can hear thunder, you are within striking distance
• Go inside; there is no place outside that is safe
• Wait at least 30 minutes after hearing thunder before going back outside

(MORE: These activities have the most lightning-related deaths)