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State: Almost All Of Tenn. Prison Regains Heat

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Tennessee officials say the heat is back on for almost the entire Tennessee prison that lost its main heating source on New Year's Day.

Tennessee Department of Correction spokeswoman Alison Randgaard said Thursday morning all of Riverbend Maximum Security Institution is expected to have boiler-produced heat within 24 hours.

Amid frigid weather, Randgaard says portable heating units have kept affected areas between 60 and 70 degrees. Inmates have also received extra blankets.

Randgaard says the department cannot accept donations of blankets, clothes or other items due to safety and security concerns, though officials appreciate the thought. The department believes a valve malfunction caused the outage.

State data show the maximum-security facility held 787 inmates as of Nov. 30. It houses all 59 of the state's male death row offenders.