HILL COUNTY (June 18, 2012)--A lightning strike at the Hill County Sheriff's Office last week did about $50,000 in damage.

The lightning was produced by heavy storms that passed through the area late Thursday night.

As a result, the department is having to conduct a complete system check and is currently waiting on the insurance carrier to finalize the assessment and provide an estimated total damage cost, Hill County Sheriff Jeffrey Lyon said.

Among the most valuable items destroyed include various jail controls, including the intercom system that connects the inmates and main command center, a component of the security camera system, and an operating system at one of the security gates.

"Fortunately, it didn't affect our communication center or any of our new upgrades there," Lyon said.

No employee or inmate's safety was compromised due to the lightening strike, Lyon said.