A terrifying umbrella impalement at the Jersey Shore has renewed public safety concerns after a gust of wind turned a common beach item into a deadly weapon.
The incident occurred Wednesday morning at Asbury Park’s 3rd Avenue Beach, where a lifeguard was impaled by a flying umbrella stake. Asbury Park Fire Chief Kevin Keddy told Fox News Digital that first responders arrived to find the young woman lying near a lifeguard stand with the stake driven through her left shoulder, protruding out her back by about a foot.
“I will say tough is a good word to use to describe her,” Keddy said, noting the victim remained alert and conscious during the rescue. Paramedics cut the stake to safely transport her to a nearby hospital. Her current condition remains unknown.
Authorities have not confirmed what caused the umbrella to launch, but Keddy urged beachgoers to ensure umbrellas are properly secured in the sand.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a warning in 2024 that airborne umbrellas have become “too common” and have “killed people and caused many serious injuries.” The commission advises anchoring umbrellas firmly and remaining vigilant for wind gusts.
