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At approximately 9 a.m. on Sunday, May 21, visitors at the Frederick County Adult Detention Center made complaints about a. gas smell in the visitation area of the facility, prompting an evacuation of the area.
According to the Frederick County Sherif’s Office, the room was immediately evacuated and all inmates from several housing facility were also taken out of the building to allow for an investigation.
Inmates were brought to a separate part of the facility during the incident, while officers activated a ventilation system for the impacted areas to allow the gas to escape safely.
All visitations were temporarily canceled on Sunday and signs were placed on the door barring visitors until the issue was resolved.
Personnel from the Frederick County Division of Fire and Rescue Services responded to the facility and investigate the mechanical room, where they found a gas leak on one of the new fittings. They shut down the gas line and the building was ventilated safely without further incident.
The investigation into the gas leak determined that contractors were at the facility earlier in the week to work on the lines in the mechanical room.
Officials said that within two hours, the gas leak was corrected, the impacted housing units were ventilated, checked, and inmates were returned to their cells to allow visitation to resume.
“The quick actions of the responding correctional officers ensured the safety of all visitors and inmates at the detention center,” Lt. Col. Vic DeLauter the Warden of the Frederick County Detention Center stated. “I am proud of these officers as they followed the proper protocols and safeguarded all those involved.”
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