Fire allegedly left those incarcerated at Metropolitan Detention Center without electricity

Six people suffered minor injuries after a fire broke out at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn Friday afternoon, officials say.

News 12 Staff

Jul 20, 2019, 5:32 PM

Updated 1,734 days ago

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Six people suffered minor injuries after a fire broke out at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn Friday afternoon, officials say.
Family members of those incarcerated told News 12 their loved ones had no electricity, including air conditioning, for several hours.
Protests and lawsuits previously broke out last winter when another fire left people in the facility without heat in freezing temperatures.
On Friday, the Legal Aid Society called on the city's Department of Correction to make sure those incarcerated are treated well on hot summer days.
Their letter said in part, "Most crucially, we ask that the city move all individuals confined to their cells to air-conditioned units. This includes individuals held in Enhanced Supervision Housing, who are typically locked into unairconditioned cells for a minimum of 14 hours, and up to 23 hours. When people are not in air-conditioned areas, the city must provide free access to cool showers and ice to all persons confined in non-airconditioned units."
News 12 reached out to the Metropolitan Detention Center for comment but have not heard back.


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