Records show Liberty County Jail failed fire inspection before blaze sent 5 officers to the hospital

LIBERTY COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- A fire at the Liberty County Jail that sent five corrections officers to the hospital Monday night is shedding light on longstanding issues inside the facility.

Initially, it was reported that the fire was started by an inmate or inmates during what was described as a jailhouse "riot."

However, Liberty County Sheriff's Office Captain David Meyers said a fire marshal's investigation uncovered that the fire ultimately began when a lighting issue caused a stack of papers to ignite.

Meyers told ABC13 inmates' cries for help were initially mistaken for "fighting."

"When they saw the smoke, they started yelling," Meyers explained.

Meyers said five corrections officers were briefly treated for smoke inhalation at the Liberty Dayton Emergency Center -- having been released later that same evening.

Meyers said no inmates requested medical attention following the blaze.

Co-founder and executive director of non-profit watchdog the Texas Jail Project Krishnaveni Gundu told ABC13 the incident was "expected."

Reports compiled by Texas Commission on Jail Standards, a state agency, show Liberty County is one of just nine currently "non-compliant" jails in Texas. Documents show some violations have gone unaddressed since 2023.

A recent non-compliance report, published just months before the fire, documents a number of issues inside the jail, including damaged or inoperable lighting fixtures, clutter, and overcrowding. The report also states the jail failed its fire inspection.

"This was supposed to happen one of these days because they had not fixed any of the issues," Gundu said.

At a February meeting of the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, the possibility of the Texas Attorney General's Office filing an injunction that would effectively shut down the jail was discussed.

ABC13 asked Meyers about the status of the injunction and unaddressed violations. He deferred to the Liberty County sheriff and county judge. At this time, neither have responded to ABC13's inquiries.

"This could have been a lot worse," Gundu said.

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