An explosion, that county officials believe was due to a gas leak, killed two inmates late last night at the Escambia County Central Booking and Detention Facility causing a partial building collapse. Roughly 600 prisoners were in the building at the time. Uninjured inmates were moved to various other detention facilities in Escambia and Santa Rosa County. Injured inmates were treated at area hospitals.
Escambia County Public Information Officer Kathleen Dough-Castro reported that more than 100 prisioners and corrections officers were injured.
Baptist Hospital, which is treating of some of the victims, sent out this press release:
Baptist Hospital and Gulf Breeze Hospital are currently responding to Escambia County Jail’s Central Booking Gas Explosion.
Contacting Patients
Prisoners:
If you believe your family may have been transferred to a Baptist Hospital or Gulf Breeze Hospital due to this incident, please contact Escambia County public information gor more information on . All family members of prisoners will be able to gather and receive information at the Piccadilly, 3300 N Pace Blvd, Pensacola, FL 32505. Families are encouraged to wait there so the Escambia County Jail personnel and other participating emergency agencies can effectively relay information. Baptist Hospital and Gulf Breeze Hospital will not release any information about prisoners.Jail Employees:
If you believe your family may have been transferred to a Baptist Hospital or Gulf Breeze Hospital due to this incident, please contact 850.554.1430 for more information. All family members of jail employees will be able to gather and receive information at the either Baptist Hospital or Gulf Breeze Hospital Emergency Rooms.While we are currently experiencing an increase in patient numbers in our triage area and emergency department, patient safety and privacy are still our top concerns.