Crane damages jail; inmates moved

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - About 170 inmates in the Kent County jail were moved to other county jails after a construction crane collapsed Friday and damaged parts of the jail.

The inmates were moved from an area of the jail that only had cold running water and no heat. Moving them to jails in Ottawa, Calhoun, Eaton and Montcalm counties was not an easy task, made more difficult with the road conditions on Friday night.

"It was a very tenuous situation," Undersheriff Jon Hess told 24 Hour News 8. "We did not have any problems, per se, with the inmates moving. Not all of them were exicted about it, but it had to be done."

He estimated jail staff made about 500 individual inmate moves, including those moved to different parts of the Kent County jail. The inmates were moved based on potential risk and security status. All high-level security risks were kept within the functional portions of the jail.

"There is no risk to the community. The current jail is safe and secure," he said.

The investigation into the accident continues, and it's now clear the cable on the crane never actually snapped.

"The cable really was much like a rubber band," Hess said. "It stretched and came back and that's probably what hit the construction worker."

That worker suffered a minor shoulder injury. Two inmates were also checked for minor injuries after being hit by falling glass or debris.

Inspectors from the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration have been on the scene and will determine any potential negligence in the case.

For now, it's one step at a time.

The jail is working to establish a temporary facility for a communications base, as some radio and phone service was cut off. The remaining communication problems are mainly between staff radios.

"We certainly are concerned that once the crane is inspected and is able to be moved that the movement may cause mor damage to the water lines and the electrical lines that are underneath," Hess said. "So we're not going to do anything in any hurry."