EDMUNDSTON, New Brunswick – A lightning strike at a construction site affected seven men, including one who suffered a direct hit during a sudden storm.

Jacques Bossie, 54, remained hospitalized in stable condition Friday after being struck by lightning while working Thursday afternoon on the roof of a Wal-Mart being built on North Victoria Street.

Chantal Poulin, spokeswoman for the Edmundston Regional Hospital, said Friday afternoon that Bossie remained under observation and would be at the hospital another 24 to 48 hours.

Two other men, Rino L. Bossie, 46, of Edmundston and Brent Pollock, 23, of Campbelton, were also hospitalized overnight for observation. They were both released Friday morning.

Poulin said the two men were kept overnight for cardiac monitoring.

Sebastien Bossie, age unavailable, from Edmundston, was treated at the hospital and released Thursday.

Those four men were working on the roof. Police did not have the names of three other men who were working at ground level and were also treated at the Edmundston hospital and released.

Sgt. Percy Picard of the Edmundston Police Department said Friday that Bossie appeared to have wounds to a shoulder and one hand, possibly the entry and exit points of the lightning.

Picard said lightning struck Jacques Bossie directly, and the other six men suffered from the aftershocks. The three men working in the roof with Bossie were more harshly affected, the police said.

The officer said none of the men lost consciousness.

Picard said the strike came during a “fierce storm” that came through on an otherwise bright, sunny day.

Picard said the accident was being investigated by the New Brunswick Workers Compensation Agency. He did not have the name of any investigator.