Nine Harford County 9-1-1 employees are in the hospital being further evaluated, after lightning possibly struck the Harford County Emergency Operations Service Center Friday evening.
According to officials around 5:15 p.m. several 9-1-1 employees felt tingling sensations on their faces and hands as a cold front pushed into the region causing a severe thunderstorm in the area.
One 9-1-1 employee said they felt a shock go through their earpiece causing severe pain. Several employees also reported seeing fire sparks on the ground during the thunderstorm.
Nine employees were taken to Upper Chesapeake Hospital for further evaluation. One employee opted to go home.
The building does have multiple ground lightning rods to ensure safety to the facility and the occupants inside if lightning happens to hit it directly, but officials believe the severe weather overwhelmed the rods causing the building to possibly be hit by lightning.
Officials are not sure if lightning directly struck the building, but are conducting an investigation.
The building did not lose power and there were no interruption in 9-1-1 services. The center is continuing to operate Friday evening.
