Lightning Strike Kills Worker From Mulberry

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ ... 80368/1004

Published Friday, August 18, 2006
WESLEY CHAPEL

Lightning Strike Kills Worker From Mulberry

A 16-year-old Mulberry roofer was struck and killed by lightning in a rainstorm Thursday afternoon, drawing the attention of authorities who now question whether undocumented immigrants worked at the construction site.

At about 4 p.m., Jose Alvarez Jeronimo was working on the roof at 1508 Beaconsfield Drive in Meadow Pointe, a Wesley Chapel development.

He was reaching down for a nail gun on the roof when he was hit directly by lightning, said Doug Tobin, Pasco County Sheriff's Office spokesman.

Rain was just beginning to fall.

"The foreman said, `Let's get off the roof,' then it happened," said Pasco Sgt. Dave Johnson.

Jeronimo was pronounced dead about 20 minutes later, after rescue workers arrived.

A second roofer, Antelmo Alvarez Garcia, 41, also from the Mulberry area, was 10 feet away from Jeronimo when the lightning struck, and complained of headaches, the sheriff's office said. He was examined by paramedics, found to be unharmed and released on the scene.

Jeronimo and Garcia were employed by a roofing subcontractor, RAC Construction of Lakeland.

Authorities said Jeronimo's death may touch off a wider investigation into RAC's practices.

Reached at home Thursday night, Raudel Carrizal, owner of RAC Construction, said he was aware of the accident but would not comment.

Jeronimo's death is the third lightning-related fatality this year in Florida, according to the National Weather Service.

Quote:

Reached at home Thursday night, Raudel Carrizal, owner of RAC Construction, said he was aware of the accident but would not comment.

I sure hope she gets investigated now. It doesn't sound like many of his workers are here legally.

Ya.....lightning strikes are a bear in Florida. One kid got hit sitting at the kitchen table doing homework. Came through the sliding doors. There's unbelievable stories about the tricks of lightning. Sometimes it does strike before it starts raining. One of the risks there. I hardley consider it abuse of mexicans though. Even white roofers when they see the clouds roll in try and get as much done as they can before it starts to rain.