MIAMI (WSVN) - Health officials are trying to figure out what caused several inmates at a Miami jail to to suffer seizures inside a cell.
City of Miami Fire Rescue have transported four sick inmates from the Miami-Dade County Pre-Trial Detention Center, Tuesday.
Miami-Dade Police and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue also responded to the call just after 12:45 p.m.
According to the Miami-Dade Corrections Department, officers were called down to a cell holding 24 inmates were one had complained of feeling unwell.
Officers called medical staff and evacuated the cell where four were found to be sick enough that they needed transport to Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Two were transported in serious condition; the other two were taken as a precaution.
Officers from both the county as well as corrections officers responded to the scene in order to escort the inmates. The officers have also been asked to wear their riot gear and be armed with rifles before assisting with the transport to the hospital’s secured ward.
The areas around Jackson, Northwest 12th Avenue and 12th Street were closed while officials made the transport.
Officers with weapons drawn swarmed the area, blocked streets and re-directed traffic.
They were asked to wear riot gear and be armed with rifles while assisting with the transport.
Some people in the area thought the worst was happening. Diane Pace was visiting the hospital when she noticed the heightened armed police presence. “I was like, wow,” she said. “Was that a prisoner escape or something?”
“I thought something bad was going on,” said another woman who was not identified, “because there were so many police and fire everywhere.”
David Pulliam saw the inmates arrive. “Crazy, man, crazy. Half of Miami is here.”
The jail is currently on lockdown, as the investigation into what happened continued.
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