A prisoner at D.C. Jail died on July 15 during the city’s recent heat wave. According to a Department of Corrections spokesperson, the death of Lester Irby, 70, was not connected to the temperature inside the jail. But District officials, prisoner advocacy groups, prisoners’ family members and the union representing correctional officers believe the jail is dangerously hot.
The jail, which holds 1,300 inmates and was built in 1972, has faced challenges trying to keep the building cool before, according to a Washington Post report. The unsafe temperatures are partially due to the building’s faulty air ducts. One inmate told NBC News4 Washington that his cell was 87 degrees that day.
To combat the high temperatures in the facility, the jail is cleaning air conditioners, setting up industrial fans and giving inmates ice and additional showers. Deborah Golden, a lawyer who monitors the jail’s conditions, feels these measures are not enough.
“It’s probably time to think about building a new jail and to plan for it,” she told News4.
In the mean time, temperatures in the District are still on the rise and the prison will likely remain too hot. D.C. residents living on the streets are also facing unsafe conditions due to the weather. Cooling centers have been made available through the city’s Heat Emergency Plan Heat Emergency Plan for those seeking a safe place to escape the heat this summer.
