9 People, Including Several Young Children, Injured By Downed Tree Caused By Lightning At Bucks County Swim Club: Officials
FEASTERVILLE-TREVOSE, Pa. (CBS) -- Nine people, including several young children, were injured after a tree fell on them while they were sitting underneath a tent at a Bucks County swim club. The incident happened at the Dolphin Swim Club in Feasterville-Trevose on Sunday afternoon.
Officials say lightning struck the tree, causing it to topple over onto the tent during a quick severe weather event.
Nine people ranging from young children to adults were taken to a local hospital to be treated for injuries, according to officials.
The tent has some tables underneath, and it's meant to be used as a picnic area.
"Look at his face, it's all swollen and stuff," Rubin Diaz said.
One-year-old Liam Diaz has several scratches on his face and his right eye appears bruised.
His father says he was near the tent around 5 p.m. on Sunday when the storm storm rolled through.
That's when lightning struck the tree, forcing it to come crashing down onto the tent. Big branches were thrown in all directions.
No one was entrapped under the tent, officials say. All nine people were out of the tent when first responders arrived on scene.
"As they were trying to get away, they were struck by the branches that fell," Diaz said.
For several minutes, 6-year-old Ashanti Diaz and a few others were trapped underneath the tent.
The weight of the branches made it difficult to move.
"I was really scared," she said. "I didn't know what to do."
Authorities say lifeguards at the pool jumped into action, quickly removing the branches and pulling everyone to safety.
"All the people who were injured were out from underneath the tent before the first responders got here," Lower Southampton Township Fire Marshall Bill Oettinger said.
Now the Diaz family is hoping the Dolphin Swim Club will remove other big trees after the incident.
"You don't want a family to come and go through what I'm going through right now," Rubin said. "To have to see your kids like this, it's not fun."
He says his wife is still in the hospital after the tree hit her in the back. He says it's a miracle no one was more seriously injured.
Numerous other trees are down throughout the park are down because of the weather event.
