Federal officials and the head of an air traffic control group says a worker was hurt when lightning struck BWI Airport, shutting down flight operations.

The Federal Aviation Administration said lightning struck the air traffic control tower at 2:21 p.m. Thursday. The FAA suspended arrivals and departures until about 4:45 p.m., according to a BWI spokesman.

John Dunkerly, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, said that he had just left the tower when the lightning strike, which he said hit a runway, occurred. He said a traffic management coordinator who was turning on equipment in the tower was shocked when the electricity traveled to the tower.

Dunkerly says the worker was taken to a hospital. An FAA official said the worker did not appear to be seriously injured.