UPDATE: The Michigan Department of Corrections says Level 1 and Level V activities have occurred at Marquette Branch Prison since some prisoners started fires in their cells Wednesday evening.
MDOC says a small number of administrative segregation prisoners remained disruptive in their cells through Friday, including trying to start small fires and throwing material—including body waste—at staff.
Several of the disruptive prisoners have been transferred to other facilities around the state. The MDOC will be requesting prosecution and restitution from those that are found to have assaulted staff or damaged state property.
The situation continues to be monitored closely.
MDOC officials say, “We would like to thank our staff at the Marquette Branch Prison, as well as staff such as our Corrections Transportation Officers who assisted with transfers, for all their work this week keeping their colleagues and our state safe.”
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MARQUETTE, MI— Inmate activity at Marquette Branch Prison is restricted, after multiple prisoners in the administrative segregation unit set fires in their cells early Wednesday evening.
The Michigan Department of Corrections says the fires were preceded by two days of assaults on staff and three in-cell fires in the unit.
Smoke prompted the evacuation of prisoners in surrounding cells to other areas of the facility, including a closed housing unit and the prisoner yard modules. Two employees and one inmate were taken to UPHS-Marquette for smoke inhalation. The employees were treated and released, while the prisoner remains hospitalized.
Two cells have been temporarily removed from service due to damage, but the units are otherwise operational.
When staff started returning inmates to their cells, some prisoners began to verbally threaten them. Additional prison staff and about a dozen other staff from other facilities that serve on the MDOC’s Emergency Response Team responded to Marquette. All prisoners returned to their cells without incident.
Marquette Branch Prison was put under restricted prisoner movement in the impacted units Wednesday night and Thursday for the safety of prisoners and staff.
