Lightning
A powerful lightning strike in Gulf Shores on Saturday has claimed the life of a 24-year-old man from Birmingham.

Family and friends confirm 24-year-old Taylor Harsh of Mountain Brook died as the result of the lightning strike.

Five other men where on the beach at the time with Harsh.

Shortly after 3 P.M. Saturday it was only but a spot on the local radar, a storm system had formed over Oyster Bay and it was heading South.

"We leave, when we hear thunder we leave," said Carol Cordon who lives across the street from where the fatal strike to place.

Locals on West Beach say the lightning strike came out of the blue.

The Gulf Shores Fire Chief says that's exactly what happened.

"Out of the blue sky that where that lightning bolt came from," said Gulf Shores Fire Chief Hartley Brokenshaw.


When fire crews arrived at the lightning strike location on West Beach they found six individuals had been struck.

The group from Birmingham had been celebrating with a bachelor's party on the beach.

"It hit one of them then jumped from him to another one and the other four it didn't actually hit but they were very close, it knocked them all to the ground," said Brokenshaw.

"Crying hands on their heads they were all on their cellphones they were so distraught it was really a sad situation," said Cordon.

"It can reach out 10 miles or farther away from the center of the thunder storm could be it can reach out and get you," said Deputy Fire Chief Keith Martin.

Taylor Harsh was first taken to a local Hospital then flown to UAB in Birmingham where he later died.

All others who were struck are expected to make a full recovery.