Officials said 33-year-old Dalin Anderson, an inmate from Summit County, died after being struck by lightning.

Belmont Correctional Institution public information officer Kathy Cole said the inmates were standing in the Honors Camp recreation yard when a storm hit around 6:30 p.m. Monday.

Cole said three inmates were treated for injuries at the prison. Anderson and two other inmates were transported to East Ohio Regional Hospital, where Anderson died.

The second inmate was treated and transported back to the prison. The third inmate was transported from EORH to Ohio State University Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.

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Cole told NEWS9 the Ohio State Highway Patrol and prison officials are conducting an investigation, which should be completed sometime this week. The officials said it does not appear any staff member was at fault and proper protocol was followed. She said all indications are that the death and injuries were from the lightning strike.

The inmates who were injured were behind a wall and were in the process of leaving the recreation yard because of the looming storm. Just moments before the lightning struck, a shift supervisor made the call to close the outdoor recreation area.

"It's a very tragic situation. The loss of a life is always a tragic situation. We've never experienced a lightning strike like this before. It is unusual," Cole said, adding that there's "no evidence of any wrongdoing. (It) appears to be a bizarre accident."

In a call to Belmont County 911, a prison officer said, "We have an inmate at the Honor Camp we believe has been struck by lightning. We need a squad up to the Honor Camp ASAP."

The prison's in-house medical department also responded to the camp and performed emergency treatment while Cumberland Trail crews were on their way to the prison.

The Honors Camp holds 500 inmates. To be permitted in that area, an inmate must have good behavior or have less than three years before his or her release. Officials said Anderson qualified for both and was just recently placed in the Honors Camp.

Anderson came to the correctional institution in 2005 from the Akron area. He was serving 10 years for possession of drugs and illegal possession of chemicals. He was scheduled to be released in July 2014.

Prison officials said he was not a problem prisoner and received special accommodations for his good behavior.

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