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Inmate Charged In Allegheny County Jail Fire

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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- An inmate is facing charges for starting a fire that sent two Allegheny County Jail employees to the hospital.

Allegheny County Police say 29-year-old Andrew Powell is facing multiple charges in connection to the March 7 incident.

A small, smoldering fire was started in an inmate's cell just before 3:30 p.m. Wednesday. About 80 inmates who were in that pod were sent to another location and the jail was put on lockdown.

Two officers used a fire extinguisher to knock down the fire. Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire officials believe the fire was caused by contraband in the inmate's cell, but that has not yet been officially determined.

A sergeant and a corrections officer were sent to a local hospital for smoke inhalation. Both were treated and released.

No inmates were injured and no inmates asked for medical treatment.

Inmates were returned to their cells just after 5 p.m. and the jail resumed normal operations at 7 a.m. Thursday.

Powell was charged Thursday with one count of causing or risking catastrophe, two counts of recklessly endangering another person, one count of institutional vandalism, and one count of felony criminal mischief.

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