Overnight Jail Riot

McALESTER, Okla. (AP) -- A fight at the Pittsburg County Jail turned into a nearly ten hour riot involving about 40 inmates before authorities brought them under control. No officers were injured but

Wednesday, June 27th 2007, 7:21 am

By: News On 6

McALESTER, Okla. (AP) -- A fight at the Pittsburg County Jail turned into a nearly ten hour riot involving about 40 inmates before authorities brought them under control. No officers were injured but several inmates were treated for minor injuries at a McAlester hospital.

Pittsburg County Undersheriff Richard Sexton says some inmates broke out of their cells Tuesday afternoon and at one point broke through a door leading outside the jail.

Sexton says nearby police departments and the Oklahoma Department of Corrections sent officers who used gas to secure the area and remove some inmates.

He says officers eventually had to physically remove other inmates about midnight.

Sexton says overcrowding in the 65 bed jail is likely a major contributing factor to the violence. He says the jail has 98 inmates as of Wednesday morning.