Four correctional officers at the Cook County Jail were hospitalized Saturday night after a group of inmates attempted to light their jumpsuits on fire.
Four correctional officers at the Cook County Jail were hospitalized Saturday night after a group of inmates attempted to light their jumpsuits on fire.
The incident occurred in Division 9, the jail's super maximum security division, in a tier designated for "problematic detainees who engage in sexual misconduct," the Cook County Sheriff's office said in a statement.
The detainees in that division are given specially designed jumpsuits, authorities said, which they attempted to destroy by using a microwave to ignite a wick and light the uniforms on fire.
This resulted in smoke in the living unit, according to the sheriff's office. Two officers were taken to an area hospital for evaluation related to smoke exposure, officials said, while two others were hospitalized for injuries they sustained while securing the tier. All injuries were non-life-threatening, the sheriff's office said.
"This evening's incident is another incredible reminder of the exceptionally difficult job performed each and every day by the men and women of the Cook County Sheriff's Office," the statement added.
