Damage on the property of the Nebraska State Penitentiary from a Saturday storm. (Courtesy of Nebraska Department of Correctional Services)
LINCOLN — Straight-line winds of 80-90 mph tore the roof off of parts of two housing units Saturday at the aging Nebraska State Penitentiary, displacing 387 inmates, the state announced.
Damage estimates and first steps toward temporary repairs were still taking place Monday, though more information was expected from the Department of Correctional Services.
Video of the damage shows parts of the roof being pulled off of a facility that has been the subject of much discussion in the Legislature for its need for upgrades or replacement.
Gov. Jim Pillen, in a tweet Sunday on X, credited Corrections Director Rob Jeffreys and his staff for safely relocating the inmates and said he was “incredibly proud” of their work.
Jeffreys, in a statement, said his team across the department trains “for the unexpected,” and “came together” to make sure “everyone was safe.” No injuries were reported.
About 250 of the 387 displaced inmates were moved from the two damaged housing units to a gym on site at the State Penitentiary. The remainder were sent to prisons in Tecumseh and Omaha.
Correctional Services set up a website for friends and family members to check if their loved ones were impacted, at https://corrections.nebraska.gov/rehabilitation/friends-and-family.
Repairs could take at least a month, according to a department press release from Sunday. Visits to inmates at the State Pen were canceled this weekend as the department assesses damage.
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