At least 11 inmates were injured at Marion County Jail II in downtown Indianapolis early Monday after the power went out, law enforcement officials said.

Marion County Sheriff Kerry Forestal said deputies responded to the jail at 3:38 a.m. after Indianapolis Power & Light disconnected a power in the line to the facility "to deal with the ice.” The jail's generator — which is checked weekly — failed to turn on, and the facility was left in the dark for about 10 minutes.

During that time, Forestal said at least eight inmates suffered minor injuries from a fight that broke out in the dark. Some inmates suffered soft-tissue wounds, and at least one broke a bone. Forestal said officers "believe the broken bones were from a fall — somebody walking around in the dark.”

Lawrence Andrea
Indianapolis Star