Air conditioning is once again fully operational at the Fulton County Jail, though it may take some time to cool the entire building, according to a joint statement Tuesday afternoon from county government and the sheriff’s office.
Power and air conditioning went out at the 901 Rice St. facility Friday due to storm damage. Electricity was back on in a few hours, but according to the county a tree fell on a propane tank. A large leak of flammable propane prevented repair crews from working on electrical systems related to heating and cooling, a county news release said.
All the jail’s mechanical equipment remained offline, including the kitchen. Workers inspected the electrical system after the gas dispersed.
Repairs done Monday by the county Department of Real Estate & Asset Management restored air conditioning in most of the jail, according to Tuesday’s statement.
“Because of the size of the facility, air conditioning has not fully reached some units, so as an interim measure, spot coolers have been put in place in many areas,” it says.
Atlanta outdoor temperatures climbed to 84 degrees on Saturday, 89 on Sunday, and were predicted to hit 92 on Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
The jail briefly stopped taking new detainees, but resumed intakes on Saturday. A portable chiller truck was brought in to cool parts of the building, according to the sheriff’s office.
Jail officials treated three inmate medical emergencies over the weekend, but on Tuesday the county and sheriff’s office said no reported medical issues were heat-related. Jail and medical staff were conducting regular health and safety checks in all units. The sheriff’s office is also working to speed up scheduled transfers of inmates to other facilities, according to the statement.
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