Deputies rushed to hospital after fire at Forsyth County Jail

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. - A fire broke out at the Forsyth County Jail Tuesday evening. Four deputies had to be rushed to the hospital.

"When the first units arrived on scene there was smoke and fire," said Forsyth County Fire Division Chief Jason Shivers.

Chief Shivers said the fire was on the bottom floor of the jail in a dryer in the laundry area. Four deputies grabbed fire extinguishers to keep the fire in check while firefighters raced to the scene. Those four deputies had to be rushed to the hospital for smoke inhalation.

"They did inhale a good bit of smoke while they were putting the fire out," said Forsyth County Sheriff's Cpl. Doug Rainwater.

All four deputies were checked out and released from the hospital Tuesday evening.

The jail was temporarily on lockdown. None of the inmates were evacuated, but those on the bottom floor where the smoke was most concentrated were moved to a high floor.

Fire officials determined the fire started in a large commercial dryer in the laundry room. Investigators do not yet know how it started.

Officials wanted to stress to the public there was never any danger, just a significant inconvenience to traffic during rush hour in downtown.