3 inmates dead, 5 hurt at Oklahoma prison

CUSHING, Okla. -- Three inmates were killed and another five injured Saturday in what officials called an "inmate disturbance" at an Oklahoma prison, CBS affiliate KWTV reported.

Steve Owen of Nashville, Tennessee-based Corrections Corporation of America said staff at Cimarron Correctional Facility in Cushing quelled a disturbance around 4:40 p.m. Saturday. In a statement, Owen said the incident lasted about 40 minutes and was contained to one housing pod.

The inmates who were hurt were taken to hospitals but their conditions and the nature of their injuries were not released. No staff members were injured.

The names of those killed and injured were not immediately released. Local law enforcement and the state Department of Corrections were notified and the incident is being investigated.

Owen said the prison was placed on lockdown and inmates confined to their housing areas. The facility about 50 miles southwest of Tulsa in northeast Oklahoma houses medium- and maximum-security male inmates for the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.

The incident occurred in a medium-security portion of the prison, Department of Corrections spokeswoman Terri Watkins told The Associated Press. The prison houses about 1,600 inmates, she said.

In June, between 200 and 300 inmates were involved in a brawl at the prison. Eleven prisoners were taken to hospitals after the fight and the facility was placed on lockdown. The fighting occurred among inmates in three separate housing units. No correctional workers were injured.

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