Jul 6, 2009 8:06 am US/Eastern
Swine Flu Worries Spark Cambridge Jail Riot
Prisoners Evacuated After Middlesex Jail Floods
CAMBRIDGE (WBZ) ―
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187 prisoners were bused to other local corrections facilities.
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The inmates allegedly broke the jail's sprinkler system, flooding the building.
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Water covered the floor of a gym inside the jail.
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The Middlesex County Jail in Cambridge
WBZ
Inmate fears over an apparent swine flu outbreak sparked a riot at the Middlesex County Jail in Cambridge on Sunday.
Several prisoners became unruly, breaking sprinkler heads which in turn flooded the entire building. The jail's fire suppression system was also damaged and power to the entire facility had to be cut off.
"The flooding went down from the 18th floor all the way through the building into the lobby and it was cascading down the elevator shaft," said Middlesex County Sheriff James DiPaola. He said the damage was the work of just nine inmates.
The jail holds about 400 inmates. One hundred and eighty-seven prisoners who face the most serious charges were bused to other local corrections facilities. A generator was brought in to supply power to the remaining inmates.
DiPaola said the disturbance started after fears of H1N1 influenza, or swine flu, spread.
Last week one inmate was diagnosed with a likely case of H1N1 and put in medical quarantine. Over the weekend ten more inmates were diagnosed with the flu and put into isolation. Two correctional officers also have the flu.
According to the Sheriff's office, the Middlesex Jail was built to hold 160 prisoners. The prisoner population as of Sunday was 403.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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