BUFFALO, N.Y. – Erie County Sheriff John C. Garcia commends Erie County Holding Center and Buffalo Fire Department personnel for their response to a fire that broke out overnight at the facility.
At approximately 12:50 a.m., the fire started in the facility’s electrical room, which is located on the ground floor. Jail Management Division staff utilized portable fire extinguishers to battle the blaze until Buffalo Fire Department personnel arrived at the scene. The scene was cleared by firefighters at approximately 1:50 a.m.
About 10 minutes after the fire started, four incarcerated individuals were relocated to a different area of the facility as a precaution. They have since been returned to their assigned housing unit. There were no injuries to staff or incarcerated individuals. Preliminary information suggests that the fire started as the result of a mechanical malfunction, potentially a faulty coolant hose, during the test of a generator.
“I have sincere appreciation for everyone who acted swiftly this morning to put the fire out,” said Sheriff Garcia. “Our Jail Management Division staff worked quickly to keep incarcerated individuals, coworkers and the community safe, and Buffalo firefighters bravely rushed in to help.
“While we still need to find out exactly what went wrong, this incident should serve as a warning that we must address the Erie County Sheriff’s Office Jail Management Division’s physical infrastructure. Without proper investment, we are risking the safety of our staff and incarcerated population. We will continue to work hand-in-hand with Erie County Buildings & Grounds to focus on what happened and study the issue.”