The Sheriff’s Office says four inmates needed to be relocated during the fire, but have since returned to their assigned units.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — A fire in the electrical room of Erie County Holding Center prompted an overnight response by the Buffalo Fire Department.
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The Erie County Sheriff’s Office says the fire started shortly before 1:00 a.m. in the room on the ground floor of the jail. Staff used multiple fire extinguishers to contain the fire until Buffalo firefighters arrived, and by 1:50 a.m., firefighters reported the fire was out.
Fire investigators believe the fire was started by a faulty coolant hose, which caused a mechanical malfunction during a generator test.
A spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office said four inmates were moved to a different part of the facility shortly after the fire started. No injuries have been reported, and the inmates have returned to their assigned units.
“I have sincere appreciation for everyone who acted swiftly this morning to put the fire out,” said Sheriff John Garcia in a statement to 2 On Your Side.
“Our Jail Management Division staff worked quickly to keep incarcerated individuals, coworkers, and the community safe, and Buffalo firefighters bravely rushed in to help.”
Sheriff Garcia has advocated for a new facility that would modernize and consolidate the county’s Alden and downtown jails, but at a high cost to taxpayers. Four proposals have been put forward, although each came out higher than continuing operations.
The exact cause of the fire is not yet known.
“While we still need to find out exactly what went wrong, this incident should serve as a warning that we must address the Erie County Sheriff’s Office Jail Management Division’s physical infrastructure. Without proper investment, we are risking the safety of our staff and incarcerated population. We will continue to work hand-in-hand with Erie County Buildings & Grounds to focus on what happened and study the issue.”