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Maui Community Correctional Center inmates pounded on the cell doors of a module Wednesday following Monday’s riot.
But the Department of Public Safety said Wednesday “there is no riot happening.”
The unrest began Monday afternoon when 42 of 94 inmates who were enjoying recreation time in a common area refused to return to their module after recreation time was over. Those 42 began breaking fire sprinklers, which began shooting water into the common area. They also started a small fire in the common area and smoke drifted to a nearby module where other inmates started a “lesser disturbance,” DPS said.
DPS said staff talked to inmates all day Wednesday to allow them to air their frustrations.
DPS said they were outside in the recreation field Wednesday to “decompress,” while staff ensured the doors were still sound.
The remainder of the facility was on lockdown, as a precaution, so attention could be given to inmates in that module.
Public Safety Director Nolan Espinda
blames overcrowding at MCCC for the uprising. On Monday, the jail, which was designed to hold 209, had 410 inmates.
