Rebellion: 20 people injured in Rikers Island fire, FDNY says 

At least 20 people were injured after a fire broke out at Rikers Island on Thursday while state legislators visited the jail, authorities announced.

The fire began at around 1:30 p.m. in the prison’s North Infirmary Command, which houses the sickliest detainees, according to the New York Fire Department (NYFD).

At the time, a group of state legislators had arrived at Riker’s Island on a surprise visit, which was aimed at pushing back against New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed bail reforms. 

As part of the visit, the Correction Department Emergency Service Unit began a contraband search of the inmates' possessions, during which the detainee’s privately purchased goods and items sent by their loved ones were seized. 

“Everyone was very upset by the treatment. Their only worldly possessions were being taken away, and it was in retaliation because of the legislators’ visit,” said MK Kaishian, a lawyer who has a client in the correctional facility. “They were about to get a tiny political platform, and they were getting it taken away from them.”

Corrections officials believe one of the detainees set the blaze in his cell out of retaliation, according to a Correction Department source. 

 It took 12 units and 60 firefighters around an hour to put out the fire at the jail. 

Five inmates were injured in the fire, and 15 others were staff members of the jail, FDNY said. Five of the victims refused medical attention, while 15 others were transported to a nearby hospital. 

Most of the injuries were due to smoke inhalation, according to a source with the Correction Department.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. 

"The health and safety of those who work and live in our facilities is our main priority," said Deputy Commissioner for Public Information James Boyd. "We take arson very seriously and will pursue re-arrest of the individual involved pending the outcome of the investigation."