LAFAYETTE, La. — There are no major injuries to report after an inmate started a small fire in his cell at the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center.
Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Correctional Deputies were conducting routine checks Wednesday morning when smoke began emitting from an offender’s cell, according to a spokesperson for the sheriff's office. The inmate, who was the only offender assigned to the cell, was immediately evacuated. Deputies then followed all safety protocols to ensure the safety and security of the facility as well as for responding firefighters to enter, assess and clear the scene.
Four of the responding deputies were taken to a local medical facility to be evaluated and/or treated for smoke inhalation. The inmate was also transported for a precautionary well-being assessment.
“The quick response and decisive actions of the responding deputies pays tribute to their training and strict adherence to safety protocols; but this is also an unfortunate example of the numerous challenges, and outright dangers, our corrections deputies face every single day,” said Sheriff Mark Garber. “Beyond the policy and procedure, it’s the unshakable commitment to service our deputies display in the face of incidents like this one that I am most proud of.”
A full investigation into this incident is underway. Preliminary indications suggest the offender tampered with a light fixture inside his cell in an attempt to start a fire. This, in turn, caused smoke to emit throughout the cell which alerted the nearby deputies who safely secured the scene, according to the spokesperson.
Minimal damage to the jail was contained to the immediate area. No further details are available at this time.
