Three sheriff’s deputies and two inmates were sent to the hospital Friday night after a potentially deliberate fire broke out at the Lowndes County Adult Detention Center.
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigations is still looking into the incident, but an initial investigation led authorities to believe an inmate set the fire, according to a Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office press release.
The fire started just after 9:30 p.m. Friday, displacing nine inmates from the zone where it started. Sheriff Eddie Hawkins told The Dispatch the displaced inmates were relocated to different holding cells.
Two inmates were taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle, where one was treated for possible smoke inhalation and the other for minor burns. Both were released from the hospital and are back at LCADC, the press release said.
Three deputies were also taken to BMH-GT to be treated for possible smoke inhalation. The press release said all three are expected to fully recover.
All inmates have been accounted for, and no other injuries were reported. Hawkins said the detention center staff were the first to notice the fire, which was set just outside an inmate’s cell near a communal area.
Columbus Fire and Rescue Chief Duane Hughes told The Dispatch it took approximately 30 to 40 minutes from the first unit arriving for the fire to be put out.
The affected zone has been shut down, Hawkins said. While the flames were mostly isolated to the area where the fire started, there was still a lot of smoke damage. He said the next step is to assess how bad the damage is.
Hawkins said safety measures were in place during the fire and protocols were followed.
“This is something we train for,” Hawkins said in the press release. “We are very fortunate that no serious injuries occurred. Criminal charges could be filed once the investigation into the fire is complete.”
McRae is a general assignment and education reporter for The Dispatch.
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