The carpentry shop at the South Dakota State Penitentiary in Sioux Falls was damaged by fire Oct. 9.
Prison staff were alerted to the fire by an alarm shortly before 10:00 p.m. Friday. Smoke was visible to staff responding to the alarm. The Sioux Falls Fire Department was dispatched to the prison. The prison sprinkler system and firefighters extinguished the fire, which was deemed under control by 10:45 p.m.
No staff or inmates were in the shop area at the time of the fire. There were no injuries.
The carpentry shop suffered fire and smoke damage. The amount of damage is undetermined.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
The carpentry shop is part of Pheasantland Industries, an enterprise fund within the South Dakota Department of Corrections that provides work opportunities and instills marketable job skills for state prison inmates who produce unique products. Inmates in the carpentry shop build cabinets, produce custom furniture and refurbish and refinish furniture.
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