Fulton County Jail floods same day as renovation vote

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - Just hours after the Fulton County Commission voted to approve a $1.1 billion renovation and addition to the Rice Street Jail, Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat said the jail is flooding.

What we know:

Officials say heavy rain and faulty plumbing caused flooding on Wednesday night in the Fulcon County Jail's 1 North Sector, which houses 197 inmates.

Deputies reportedly had to use blankets and sandbags to hold back the water that was coming through the ceiling and drain pipes.

SEE MORE: Fulton County Jail renovations: Commissioners approve $1.1B plan

What they're saying:

Sheriff Labat held a press conference after 11 p.m. on Wednesday to address the flooding and the recent vote to renovate the jail. 

He called on county leaders to come to the jail and speak with inmates. He said the only person who has so far is County Commissioner Mo Ivory, who voted against the renovation. 

She said she voted against it due to a lack of funding. 

Watch Sheriff Labat address jail flooding

The sheriff said there were almost 200 detainees housed in the area that flooded. Plumbers were at the jail working Wednesday night, but the sheriff said staff had to use sandbags to stop the water from spreading.

"I'm very proud of how they react. They show up night after night after night," Labat said. 

The sheriff said 70 of his agency's employees have quit over the past 30 to 60 days. 

The sheriff's spokesperson, Natalie Ammons, said this is not unusual at the jail. 

"If I called you every time we had a leak or water, you'd be out here almost every other day," Ammons said. "This is an ongoing problem. It is unthinkable to put so many dollars into this building that is literally crumbling."

Dig deeper:

Though he discussed the flooding, the sheriff spent much of his conference speaking about the vote to repair the jail instead of rebuild. 

"So, today's vote was, at best, pennywise and a pound foolish," Labat said. "Come be a part of the solution, don't sit in this ivory tower."

The backstory:

The Fulton County Jail has come under fire in recent years for severe overcrowding, crumbling infrastructure and unsafe conditions.

Federal investigators say inmates are frequently exposed to violence, unsanitary living spaces, inadequate medical and mental-health care and excessive uses of force by staff.

More than 30 people have died in county custody since 2021, prompting lawsuits, public outcry and a U.S. Department of Justice investigation that found the jail to be in violation of inmates’ constitutional rights.

Labat has long said the county needs a new jail, not just a renovated one, but the County Commission Chair, Rob Pitts, said the county can't afford to build a new jail.

On Wednesday afternoon, county commissioners approved a $1.1 billion for renovations and the construction of a new special-purpose facility for mental health and medical needs that would house around 600 inmates.

The facility would take 5 years to build.  The renovations to the Rice Street jail would happen after that.