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Officials Investigate Possible Lightning Strike In Delaware County

By Natasha Brown

BROOMALL, Pa., (CBS) -- Heavy rain fell throughout the area and officials say emergency crews rushed a man to the hospital after a possible lightning strike.

It happened in Broomall, Delaware County.

Delaware County officials are investigating this as a possible lighting strike. In the meantime, neighbors describe seeing a man fall to the ground right outside of his house.

"It was the loudest boom I've ever heard in my entire life and it sounded like a million fireworks going off on the Fourth of July," said a neighbor.

Neighbors describe an earth shattering boom as a quick moving storm rolled through Broomall Wednesday afternoon.

"I ducked in my bathroom. I was petrified," said a neighbor.

An ambulance responded to get to a 52-year-old man in the 300 block of Hastings Boulevard.

Initial reports suggested that the man may have been struck by lightning.

Neighbors CBS 3 Eyewitness News spoke to say he was out with his dog in the driveway hurrying to get inside when they saw him fall to the ground.

"That's scary. That's very scary," said a neighbor.

One neighbor had just gotten her kids inside the house before the storm blew through.

"We saw it rolling in and we said you know, girls hurry up. We got to get in the house. But, you know, lightning striking you isn't something we really think about. It was more so they're scared," she said.

The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital and was said to be conscious and alert. For neighbors, it has become a frightening reminder of just how dangerous these storms can be.

"I'll definitely be heading in a lot quicker knowing something like that happened right around the corner," said a neighbor.

The man does remain hospitalized at this hour. There is no word on the extent of his injuries. In the meantime, police are continuing to investigate.

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