A detainee at the Jefferson County jail set a small fire in his holding cell, causing other inmates to be evacuated, Jefferson County sheriff’s officials said Tuesday.
An investigation into how the fire at the W.C. “Dub” Brassell Detention Center began is underway. Officials reported that the fire was contained to the single-person holding cell of the person who reportedly started it and was quickly extinguished by detention staff with a fire extinguisher.
“It is believed that the fire was set by igniting mail and other papers,” according to the sheriff’s office. “Holding cells in the immediate [time] were evacuated by moving the detainees to other areas of the facility temporarily.” Pine Bluff Fire & Emergency Services responded and assisted in clearing out the remaining smoke with fans, sheriff’s officials said.