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Samantha Christmann – The Buffalo News, N.Y.
A fire broke out overnight at the Erie County Holding Center, according to Sheriff John C. Garcia. Holding Center employees and Buffalo Fire Department personnel worked together to manage the fire. No injuries were reported.
At about 12:50 a.m., the fire started in the facility’s ground floor electrical room. Staff in the Jail Management Division used portable fire extinguishers to fight the fire until the Buffalo Fire Department arrived at the scene. Firefighters cleared out about an hour later.
About 10 minutes after the fire started, four incarcerated people were relocated to a different area of the facility as a precaution. They have since been returned to their assigned housing unit.
Early information suggests that the fire started as the result of a mechanical malfunction, possibly a faulty coolant hose, during the test of a generator, Garcia said.
The exact circumstances surrounding the fire are still under investigation.
“This incident should serve as a warning that we must address the Erie County Sheriff’s Office Jail Management Division’s physical infrastructure,” Garcia said. “Without proper investment, we are risking the safety of our staff and incarcerated population.”
