Authorities said they found fire burning in the walls of a federal penitentiary in southeast Atlanta late Sunday night.

Atlanta fire crews worked to put out the two-alarm blaze at the penitentiary on McDonough Boulevard overnight, and it was under control about 1:30 a.m. Monday, Channel 2 Action News reported. No one was injured.

Officials said the fire was discovered in the walls of two floors. Crews used a sledgehammer to break through the walls to get to the flames, Channel 2 reported.

The fire does not appear to have been intentionally set, officials told the news station. Its cause is still under investigation.

In other news:

A mother told us this was a deliberate act.

About the Author

Keep Reading

The air traffic control tower is seen on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, while smoke rises from the crash site of UPS flight 2976 near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, Ky. (Jon Cherry/AP)

Credit: AP

Featured

Travelers walk around the baggage claim in the South Terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. Atlanta is among the airports where the FAA will reduce flights due to the shutdown, and airports are facing a shortage of air traffic controllers. 
(Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez