Inmates injured in riot at Baker prison

Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2003 | 9:02 a.m.

SUN STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

BAKER, Calif. -- More than 100 inmates were involved in a riot at a private prison, injuring 17, officials said. A small fire was set inside a building.

The majority of victims suffered stab wounds, said Tracey Martinez, spokeswoman for the San Bernardino County Fire Department. Five were airlifted to hospitals for treatment and 13 others were taken by ambulance.

Five inmates were treated at University Medical Center, UMC spokeswoman Cheryl Persinger said. The hospital was preparing to release four back to authorities this morning and one other inmate was still being treated.

There were no immediate reports of injuries to guards or other authorities who responded to the rioting shortly after 8 p.m. at the facility, about 90 miles southwest of Las Vegas off Interstate 15.

The prison yard was secured at 10:30 p.m. and prisoners were locked down, Martinez said.

A small blaze was confined to a container in a guard's shack.

The 262-bed facility is run by the privately held Cornell Companies of Houston, one of the country's largest private prison operators. The prison handles minimum-security male offenders.

Nevada Department of Prisons spokesman Howard Skolnick said no Nevada prisoners were involved in the riot because all Nevada prison inmates are housed in Nevada.