Strong winds rip the roof off Clay County Jail
CLAY COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Severe weather ripped through the region on Tuesday afternoon, March 4, with heavy rain and gusty winds.
And while many at the Clay County Jail in West Point were going about their daily routine, strong winds changed the course of their evening.
While the normal routine was running, the roof was ripped off in the south wing where inmates were being housed.
“It actually got up underneath the edge of that roof there and ripped it. Also, two other buildings that are adjoining, it lifted the ends of the roof up there and set them back down,” said Clay County Sheriff Eddie Scott. “But luckily, there’s a steel roof underneath the roof there. So there was never really any danger as far as the inmates with flying debris. Our concern was the amount of water that was pouring in, you know, for electrical shock or something to that. So we immediately evacuated.”
Administrative Assistant Rita Young went outside to pick up some debris when she was quickly rushed back inside for safety.
“Anthony came around the side of the building and started saying ‘Get back inside, get back inside.’ I went back inside and then Woody came in,” Young said. “Patty had come in at that point. Woody came in to get the investigators to move their vehicles across the parking lot so they wouldn’t get hit. But then it was over as quickly as it started. It was over. We weren’t expecting anything like that. You know, the storm hadn’t even gotten here yet. It was just freak wind.”
Sheriff Eddie Scott said the main priority was the safety of the inmates and staff.
“It scared a lot of people. But fortunately, you know, we were able to get everybody to safety. And again, you know, we just thank the good Lord for being with us,” Scott said.
Sheriff Scott said he is grateful for the help and support from neighboring sheriffs at a time like this.
8 Clay County inmates have been moved to the Lowndes County jail. 7 others are in Oktibbeha County.
Right now, they are assessing the building, but there is no timeline on how long repairs will take or how much it will cost.
No injuries were reported.
