ABC13: Records show Liberty County Jail failed fire inspection before blaze sent 5 officers to the hospital

A fire at the Liberty County Jail that sent five corrections officers to the hospital Monday night is shedding light on longstanding issues inside the facility.

Liberty County Sheriff’s Office Captain David Meyers said a fire marshal’s investigation uncovered that the fire ultimately began when a lighting issue caused a stack of papers to ignite.

Meyers told ABC13 inmates’ cries for help were initially mistaken for “fighting.”

“When they saw the smoke, they started yelling,” Meyers explained.

Meyers said five corrections officers were briefly treated for smoke inhalation at the Liberty Dayton Emergency Center — having been released later that same evening.

Meyers said no inmates requested medical attention following the blaze.

Reports compiled by Texas Commission on Jail Standards, a state agency, show Liberty County is one of just nine currently “non-compliant” jails in Texas. Documents show some violations have gone unaddressed since 2023.  

“This was supposed to happen one of these days because they had not fixed any of the issues,” Gundu said.