NEW YORK (AP) - The Latest on the lack of heat and electricity at a federal detention center in New York City (all times local):
10 p.m.
The Justice Department says it will work with the Bureau of Prisons to examine what happened at a federal detention center in New York City that lost heat and electricity last week and to ensure there is a backup system to prevent it from happening again.
The Justice Department said electrical power at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn was restored at about 6:30 p.m. Sunday. It said heat and hot water were also working.
Inmates at the facility had been living without power for the past week.
Earlier Sunday, some demonstrators outside the detention center tried to get into the facility and guards pushed them back. Witnesses say some were also pepper sprayed.
7:30 p.m.
Officials say power has been restored at a federal detention center in New York City where inmates had been reportedly living without heat and electricity for the past week.
The Bureau of Prisons said Sunday night that power at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn was restored and that staff were working to restore the facility to normal operations.
Earlier Sunday, some demonstrators outside the detention center tried to get into the facility, and witnesses say guards pushed them back and sprayed them with pepper.
The Bureau of Prisons has acknowledged that the jail “experienced a partial power outage due to a fire in the switch gear room,” but they insisted the inmates had hot water for showers and sinks.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has called on the federal Department of Justice to investigate the incident.
3:20 p.m.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is calling on the federal Department of Justice to investigate the circumstances around inmates going without heat and electricity at a federal detention center in New York City.
Cuomo, a Democrat, says “these allegations are a violation of human decency and dignity” and “raise questions of potential violations of law.”
Inmates at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn have been living without power for the past week.
The Bureau of Prisons says work to fix the situation is expected to be completed by Monday. The agency insisted that inmates had hot water for showers and sinks, and were getting medications as needed.
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1:36 p.m.
Some demonstrators protesting the lack of heat and electricity at a federal detention center in New York City attempted to get into the facility, and witnesses say guards pushed them back and sprayed them with an unknown stinging substance.
A reporter and photographer for The Associated Press were at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn on Sunday when a woman whose son is being detained tried to get into the jail.
She was followed by activists and media.
Witnesses say officers used significant force to push the people out, with some of those attempting to come in falling to the ground.
The jail administration did not return an email seeking comment. Officials say power is expected back on Monday.
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