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| N.J. Prison Fire Sends Three Officers to Hospital |
| By The Press of Atlantic City |
| Published: 05/19/2003 |
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A late afternoon fire at South Woods State Prison here forced the evacuation of the inmates and sent three corrections officers to the hospital for precautionary measures. According to Chris Carden, spokesman for the N.J. Department of Corrections, no inmate was injured, although three officers required medical care following the 4 p.m. fire in the laundry room of the housing unit. According to Carden, three officers were sent to South Jersey Hospital-Bridgeton. Sgt. James Dice was treated for elevated blood pressure, while Corrections Officers Greg Palau and Eric Smith were checked for possible smoke inhalation. 'At 4 p.m., a tower officer saw smoke rising from the chimney housing unit,' Carden said. The officer notified officers within the prison and the fire was discovered, he said. Bridgeton and other local fire and rescue services were immediately dispatched. Outside the prison, only a pair of firetrucks was visible, but others passed into the main perimeter of the prison. Some could be seen parked in the interior of the prison's perimeter. At one point, a Department of Corrections officer asked reporters to step across the street off the prison grounds, referring questions to the department's main office in Trenton. At least three ambulances left the prison with light's flashing, but traffic was light in front of the prison. The only visible sign of fire was a faint smoke plume rising from one building in the complex. In other buildings, inmates could be seen peering out towards the commotion in the front of the prison. 'The laundry room is damaged, but the fire is under control,' Carden said about 5:30 p.m. A standard inmate count was taken after the evacuation and the emergency units would stay on site until the count was completed, Carden said. |
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