Five current and former inmates of the D.C. jail filed a lawsuit against the facility. They accused the jail staff of failing to prevent and properly respond to fires started by another inmate. This inmate had expressed intentions to end his own life.
According to the complaint, the incident caused panic as other inmates watched in fear while their unit filled with smoke.
The lawsuit criticizes the actions of the jail staff, alleging that their response was inadequate.
The D.C. jail, officially known as the Central Detention Facility, is the focus of these allegations.