NEW YORK (PIX11) — A fire set by an inmate at Rikers Island on Thursday injured 20 people, according to the FDNY.
The fire started around 1:30 p.m. and was extinguished within an hour. Overall, 15 staff members and five inmates were hurt, resulting in 15 of the 20 being hospitalized. Officials did not confirm how badly each person was injured.
The fire broke out on the same day that a group of Democratic state lawmakers visited the jail complex to underscore their opposition to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposals to modify New York’s bail laws.
