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Jail Explosion Yr Ender

PNJ.com

At the height of the late April flooding, Pensacola was hit with another tragedy – an explosion at the Escambia County Jail’s Central Booking Facility.

The explosion killed two inmates and injured 184 other inmates and jail staff. About 600 inmates were housed there at the time. They were taken to other county lockups, and to facilities in adjacent counties. The blast originated in a first-floor laundry room, which contained a number of natural gas-powered dryers.

One early question was whether the blast was caused by flooding from severe storms at the time. Then-Corrections Director Gordon Pike said they were inspecting the flood damage – including two feet of water in the basement. The jail was also running on generator power.

People as far away as Molino and Gulf Breeze reported feeling or hearing the blast, which caused a partial collapse of the facility. Some officials said the five-story facility would likely be a total loss.

State Attorney Bill Eddins said his office would cooperate, through the assignment of an experienced attorney to what he calls a “very complicated” investigation.

An Escambia County grand jury began work in late September, reviewing evidence from the explosion. After seven weeks, in late November, the panel returned a “no true bill” – that is, not finding probable cause to move forward with criminal charges. The grand jury also returned a half-dozen recommendations for the jail – including a return of control from the county to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.

Meanwhile, numerous civil lawsuits in connection with the explosion are being readied. But based on his time in private practice, State Attorney Bill Eddins does not expect the grand jury’s decision to have any significant impact on any of them. 

County officials are now searching for a new site to build a new booking facility. They’ll choose from among four properties around the county.