Lightning Strike Likely Cause for Jail Fire

A lightning strike late Sunday evening is the expected cause of an early Monday electrical fire at the Falkenburg Road Jail that displaced inmates and caused an estimated $5,000 in damages, according to a report from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

More than 160 inmates were evacuated shortly before 1 a.m. Monday, July 16, after an electrical panel caught fire in the mechanical room in their housing unit, according to the report.

“The fire is believed to be connected to a lightning strike and power outage that occurred at the jail during heavy thunderstorms Sunday evening,” noted detective Larry McKinnon, a sheriff's office spokesperson.

Additional details noted are as follows:

• Deputies responding to the fire alarm found "an electrical panel engulfed in flames and used fire-fighting equipment to extinguish the flames before Hillsborough Fire Rescue arrived at the facility."

• Electrical service to the housing unit was terminated, which led to the evacuation of inmates.

• The displaced inmates were moved elsewhere in the facility and the immediate issue was resolved before 2 a.m.

• The housing unit is expected to remain closed for several days as engineers work to determine the cause of the fire and to replace the burned equipment.