Inmate Floods Pennsylvania Juvenile Center with Sprinkler

An inmate flooded part of a western Pennsylvania juvenile detention center and some nearby offices by activating a fire sprinkler in his cell.

Westmoreland County officials tell the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that the incident happened about 4:30 p.m. Monday at the recently renovated Regional Youth Services Center in Hempfield Township.

Officials say about 90 gallons of water flooded the cell and seeped into office space used by juvenile probation officers below the lockup.

Authorities aren’t identifying the inmate, but say he pried a cap off the fire-suppression sprinkler system.

Crews let the water run for about three minutes until they confirmed the sprinkler hadn’t been activated by a fire.

The 30-year-old center houses 24 inmates and reopened 14 months ago after $4.5 million in renovations.