Members of the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office are currently working with maintenance crews in a race against the heat to repair a faulty air conditioning unit at the South Annex Jail, an aging facility built in 1941.

The South Annex Jail, situated on the southwest corner of Fresno and M Streets, accommodates up to 499 bed spaces. On Wednesday, the sheriff’s office staff was alerted to a malfunction in one of the two air conditioning units.

Correctional officers relocated approximately 130 inmates across the street to the North Annex and Main Jail facilities to mitigate injury amid rising temperatures.

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Efforts to rectify the situation include ordering necessary parts for the faulty A/C unit while temporary measures such as fans have been installed throughout the jail. To provide relief, cooling towels, water, and ice are being distributed to inmates to ensure their comfort amidst the sweltering conditions, sheriff’s spokesman Tony Botti said.

Additionally correctional officers and medical staff are maintaining regular checks on inmates in the South Annex to address any health concerns that may arise.

The sheriff’s office has designated the repair as a top priority, with hopes of restoring normalcy to the facility as swiftly as possible to ensure the well-being of both staff and inmates.