A faulty heat pump triggered an evacuation at Tompkins County Jail on July 15 after smoke began filling the facility around 4:25 p.m., according to the sheriff’s office. No injuries were reported.
All 68 inmates and facility staff were safely evacuated and returned to their housing areas within 45 minutes. Sheriff Derek Osborne confirmed the building was cleared without incident.
Fire crews from Cayuga Heights, Lansing, Ithaca Airport, and Bangs Ambulance responded to the scene to assist with the emergency.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].