Inmates at New York City’s Rikers Island have filed a lawsuit against the city, alleging they were trapped in their cells during a fire that injured 20 people last year, as reported by Philip Marcelo for AP News.
The federal lawsuit was filed in Manhattan by 15 men who claim they were locked in their cells by corrections officers as a fire burned through a housing unit designed for those needing infirmary care or compliant housing under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The lawsuit states the men “choked on toxic black smoke, some vomiting, some losing consciousness, all gasping for air” while corrections staff fled to safety.
The fire, which occurred on April 6, 2023, injured 15 jail staff and five inmates.
According to officials, a 30-year-old inmate with a history of starting fires ignited the blaze using batteries, headphone wires, and a remote control, adding tissues and clothing to fuel the flames.
Joshua Lax, the attorney representing the inmates, said the lawsuit focuses on the corrections department’s policy of keeping detainees locked in their cells during fires.
Lax stated: “This practice forces them to inhale smoke produced by structural fires containing various toxins, poisons, and particulate matter, all of which can produce life-threatening conditions.
“The practice violates the U.S. Constitution, local and state fire regulations, medical standards of care, and of course, human decency.”
The lawsuit follows a December report by an independent oversight agency, which found deficiencies in the jail’s response to the fire.
The New York City Board of Correction recommended that corrections officers immediately open cell doors and escort inmates to safety during a fire, and that the department conduct regular checks on sprinkler systems.
Lax further alleged that the corrections department delayed or failed to perform required medical checks on inmates exposed to smoke.
He stated: “As the fire burned, clouds of black smoke traveled through the building’s air systems and vents, saturating other housing units with toxic air.
“Soot and smoke residue also wasn’t properly removed throughout the building, further exposing detainees to dangerous chemicals and particulate matter.”
According to Lax, these conditions led some inmates to develop severe respiratory, pulmonary, and heart problems.
He criticized the Department of Corrections (DOC) for not addressing the frequent fires in their facilities and for lacking plans or training on how to evacuate detainees during such emergencies.
The lawsuit also highlights the potential federal takeover of the jail and a city plan to close the Rikers Island complex.
The Board of Correction’s recommendations include immediate actions to open cell doors during fires, regular checks on fire suppression systems, and comprehensive measures to ensure inmate safety.
Lax emphasized: “What we learned is that despite hundreds of fires a year, sometimes in a single facility, DOC has done nothing to figure out why they have a crisis of fires, and how to end it.
“Worse, knowing they have this crisis, DOC has no plans or training on how to evacuate detainees during a fire or smoke condition in any of the DOC facilities.”
