A surfer was hospitalized in "serious condition" after a shark bit him in Fort Pierce.

St. Lucie Fire Rescue said the bite occurred Friday morning. First responders found the surfer at Fort Pierce Inlet State Park.

Officials described the surfer as a man in his mid-60s. A St. Lucie County spokesperson said the victim was bitten between the knee and ankle.

"Heard about it – it was scary as Hell!" a New York resident visiting the Florida beach said. "It's scary to think about it."

It is not clear what type of shark bit the surfer.

A local surfer said shark attacks are not common – adding that people should be more concerned with lightning when visiting the beach.