LARNED — State officials are studying whether physical changes should be made at the Larned Correctional Mental Health Facility because of an error that allowed 30 maximum-security cell doors to be opened at once.
On Dec. 30, an officer pushed a button in the control center that opened all 30 cell doors in the facility's segregated unit. Each of five units in the complex has a button for each door, said Department of Corrections spokesman Bill Miskell.
Another button can be pushed to open 30 doors in a unit at once.
The officer intended to open one door, but pushed the wrong button.
Several inmates refused to lock down after the doors were opened and caused thousands of dollars in damage, officials said. One officer was injured when he was hit during the incident, but wasn't seriously hurt, Miskell said.
Two officers will be disciplined, Secretary of Corrections Charles Simmons said.
Facility spokeswoman Cindy Stejskal said damage was estimated around $2,000.
Miskell said no additional details are being released now, and information has been sent to the Pawnee County Attorney's Office for possible prosecution of the inmates.
"We don't want to release anything that could hurt the criminal case," Miskell said.
Simmons said that Warden Karen Rohling phoned to advise him of the incident shortly after midnight on Dec. 31. The decision to activate the prison's special-operations response team seemed reasonable, Simmons said.
The Pawnee County Sheriff's Department and Larned State Hospital Security staff also were notified, but their assistance wasn't necessary.
The situation was resolved by about 2:30 a.m.
"I believe the actions Warden Rohling has taken and is taking will minimize the possibility of such an incident occurring in the future," Simmons said.
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