MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Authorities confirmed a nurse suffered smoke inhalation during a fire at a medical office in the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center.
The fire happened Saturday afternoon and was quickly confined to the medical director’s office by sprinklers.
Officials said, however, smoke filled the first floor of the medical wing and administrative offices.
The nurse was taken by paramedics to St. Thomas Rutherford Hospital for treatment.
Those with the sheriff’s office said water from the sprinklers flooded the medical hallway, dispatch, and the administrative hallways. It was estimated 35 gallons of water per minute dropped from the sprinkler system, according to the sheriff.
Hot spots were put out by deputies with fire extinguishers.
Deputies said they mopped water from the halls, along with the sheriff and inmates.
Damage was not found in the inmate housing areas.
“There are more fatalities in jails from smoke inhalation,” Sheriff Robert Arnold said. “Our employees and inmates did a good job in clearing the smoke as fast as possible.”
The fire caused heavy damage to the medical director’s office.
Authorities said the cause of the fire was likely a malfunction in the base of a communications radio.
No other injuries were reported.
