Associated Press
IRONTON, Mo. — The old wing of the jail in Iron County, Missouri, known by some as the “dungeon,” is closing for the hot weather.
Sheriff Roger Medley recently told county commissioners that the thick limestone walls heat like a kiln when temperatures climb above 90 degrees, and he doesn’t want to risk a prisoner getting sick or dying.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the southeast Missouri county is using a newer section of that jail that can hold up to nine people. Additional inmates are being transported to neighboring counties. The process of moving out the inmates began earlier this month.
Medley first called attention to concerns about the jail in 2012 after a 50-page assessment found the need for several upgrades. The jail dates to 1867.