A man lost his life on Sunday, June 23, after being struck by lightning while warning beachgoers about a storm in Seaside Park, N.J.
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59-year-old Patrick Dispoto was discovered unconscious on J Street Beach in Seaside Park around 7:40 p.m. on Sunday. He was subsequently transported to the local hospital. There he was pronounced dead, officials reported, according to News 12 New Jersey.
Dispoto’s girlfriend, Ruth Fussell, told News 12 New Jersey that Dispoto ensured her safety by taking her to the car. He then returned to the shore to warn a group of children about the approaching storm. At the time, lifeguards were no longer on duty.
As he returned to the shore, a storm rolled in, bringing thunder and lightning. Shortly after, Dispoto was found unresponsive, and CPR was administered immediately. He was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital, just before 9 p.m.
Authorities Confirmed Patrick Dispoto’s Cause of Death Was Caused by a Lightning Strike
An autopsy conducted on Tuesday confirmed that Dispoto’s death was accidental, caused by a lightning strike. Sgt. Andrew Casole of the Seaside Park police also informed the Asbury Park Press that the cause of death was indeed a lightning strike.
The town of Seaside Park is upgrading its lightning detection systems. However, despite these advancements, the new sensors are not yet operational.
“We don’t want to [just] tell people when the storm is here,” Seaside Park lifeguard captain Jim Rankin told News 12 New Jersey. “We want to tell people that the storm is coming so that they can stay ahead of it.”
“In the event of a thunderstorm, the beach is a very dangerous place to be. So if you feel things like a wind shift if it’s fluttering back and forth between hot and cold, you see the clouds, you hear little rumbles of thunder — those are signs to get off the beach,” Rankin explained.
Every thunderstorm contains lightning, making each potentially dangerous, according to New Jersey 101.5 meteorologist Dan Zarrow.
“Lightning is always looking for the easiest path from cloud-to-ground,” Zarrow pointed out. “On a wide open beach — with no trees, buildings, or structures around — a person can often be the most effective conductor around.”
“If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to the storm to be struck by lightning,” Zarrow insisted. “When thunder roars, head indoors,” he advised.