BURGIN, Ky. – Investigators are looking at whether racial tensions at a Kentucky prison may have triggered a fiery riot that injured 16 people and left the lockup in ruins.
Kentucky Justice Cabinet spokeswoman Jennifer Brislin said Monday that Northpoint Training Center in Burgin had been put under "lockdown" after a fight between white and Hispanic inmates last week.
Investigators are taking a closer look to see if the fight may have triggered Friday's riot, but Brislin said "it's way too soon to say whether that was a contributor or the contributor."
Prisoners started fires that damaged several buildings at the medium-security facility about 30 miles south of Lexington.
About 700 of the Northpoint's 1,200 inmates have been transferred to other prisons around the state.
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