FOG BLOG U.S. NEWS LOG: 3 DIED BY LIGHTNING STRIKE ON THE WAY TO THE WHITE HOUSE IN WASHINGTON D.C.!

Three people dead after lightning strike Thursday near White House Three people, including a Wisconsin couple celebrating their 56th wedding anniversary, have died after a lightning strike Thursday evening in Lafayette Square, just north of the White House, D.C. police said Friday. Four people — two men and two women — were critically hurt in the strike just before 7 p.m. in the center of the park, in a grove of trees about 100 feet southeast of the statue of Andrew Jackson, fire department spokesman Vito Maggiolo said at a news briefing Thursday night. The U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Park Police rendered aid to the victims, assistance that fire officials credited with all the victims’ initial survival.

Among those who died were Donna Mueller, 75, a retired teacher, and her husband, James Mueller, 76, who owned a drywall business for decades before retiring, according to one of their daughters-in-law, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect her privacy. They were high school sweethearts before marrying and were in Washington as tourists, a vacation trip to mark their anniversary, the daughter-in-law said. She said they had no connection to the other people who were under the tree when the lightning hit.

The couple lived in Janesville, Wis., about 70 miles west of Milwaukee, and had five grown children, ten grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. “Both would do anything for their family and friends,” their relatives said in a statement.

The other person killed was a 29-year-old man, police said in announcing his death Friday afternoon. His identity was withheld pending notification of relatives.