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A ceiling light in the lobby of the Maguire Correctional Facility burst into sparks and emitted smoke on Aug. 12 at 4:15 p.m., according to fire department records and the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office.
A deputy in the lobby reported the incident which prompted three battalion chiefs, seven engines, three trucks and medical personnel to respond to the county’s largest jail.
A ballast, which is a device that is in typically fluorescent lights to regulate the flow of electricity, malfunctioned which caused the sparks and smokes, according to fire department officials.
The light was extinguished before the fire department arrived on scene.
“No injuries were reported and the lobby remains open. The County’s Department of Public Works has been notified to replace the light,” said Sheriff’s Office Spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.
It is not the first instance of mechanical issues at the Redwood City facility. In late July, this news organization first reported that the facility’s public visitation elevator malfunctioned and had been out of service for over a month, leading to the Sheriff’s Office pausing in-person visitation. The issue has yet to be resolved.
