Heavy rain leads to flooding at Fulton County Jail
Floodwaters have receded in the Fulton County Jail after stormy weather Wednesday evening.
The water level dropped as the rain stopped and as contractors worked to abate the problem, officials said.
Officials confirmed around 10:20 p.m. that the jail on Rice Street was taking on water because of heavy rain, though the extent of the flooding was not immediately disclosed.
Videos shared by Natalie Ammons, spokesperson for the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, showed several areas inside the jail with inches of standing water.
“This is unfortunately a common occurrence when there is heavy rain,” Ammons said Thursday morning. “However, the amount of flooding last night was more than usual.”
No inmates had to be relocated, she added.
A flash flood warning was in place until 11:30 p.m. for parts of south-central Fulton, according to the National Weather Service.
At 8:35 p.m. the Weather Service said thunderstorms produced heavy rain and led to between 1½ to 3 inches of rainfall. Additional amounts of 1 to 1½ inches were possible in the warned area.
The situation at the jail comes just hours after the Fulton County Commission narrowly approved a $1.2 billion plan to renovate the jail and build a new facility for inmates with special needs.
Earlier this year, Fulton entered a federal consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice mandating the county and its sheriff, Patrick Labat, to improve jail conditions that federal officials called “abhorrent” and unconstitutional.
The Rice Street building is deteriorating, according to a presentation on Wednesday from ACR Partners, the county’s project manager for jail improvements. The roof, interior finishes, plumbing, fire protection and electrical system are in critical condition, according to the assessment.
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