By Rosana Hughes
Chattanooga Times/Free Press, Tenn.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Two inmates and two officers have been injured in a fire that broke out in a jail cell at Silverdale correctional facility Monday night, according to the Chattanooga Fire Department.
The two inmates received minor burns and suffered from smoke inhalation, Bruce Garner, spokesman for the CFD, said. They have been taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Two officers were also taken to a local hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation.
Garner said all inmates from that cell block were evacuated. The fire was put out within about five minutes.
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The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the CFD and Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, Garner said.
While the fire department confirmed a fire and reported injuries, Amanda Gilchrist, spokeswoman for Silverdale, said in a news release sent minutes before the fire department’s update that all inmates and staff were accounted for and were safe following the evacuation. She said onsite medical personnel were evaluating inmates as needed.
Gilchrist said the inmates were evacuated from one of the housing units after smoke was detected in the unit. No details about the fire were mentioned.
Gilchrist later said CoreCivic, the private company that manages Silverdale, was aware of the injuries. The company did not mention injuries or confirm a fire because that information had not been confirmed to them yet, she said in an email late Monday night.
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©2018 the Chattanooga Times/Free Press (Chattanooga, Tenn.)