Two Washington Parish Jail inmates are facing new charges in connection with last Saturday night jail fire. Arrested were 69-year-old Harold G. Russell (aka: Harold G. Roussel), an inmate from Bogalusa, and 41-year-old Eric Causey, an inmate from Franklinton, each charged with Fire Raising in a Correctional Facility.
On July 19, 2026, the WPSO reported that at around 9:50 PM on July 18, 2026, corrections officers at the Washington Parish Jail advised 911 that the fire alarm was going off and there was heavy smoke in A Block. Deputy sheriffs arrived on scene to assist the corrections officers along with Franklinton police, Rayburn Correctional Center officers and Franklinton Fire Department volunteers. All inmates were evacuated to the yard. After inspection it was found that the fire started in the Air Handling Unit (AHU) duct under A Block. There were no injuries and damage was minimal.
On July 20, 2026, the WPSO requested the Louisiana State Fire Marshal's (SFM) investigate the fire. SFM investigators determined that an improvised smoking device fell into an air-conditioning vent, where it caught fire. The fire produced significant smoke and smoke damage, prompting the evacuation of the entire jail.
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