Burst pipe causing "unsafe and disruptive" situation inside Fulton County Jail, commissioner says

A burst pipe has caused some areas inside the Fulton County Jail to flood on Saturday, County Commissioner Mo Ivory says.

According to Ivory, detention staff reported a leak from a toilet in the medical unit on the third floor of the jail around 5 a.m. Saturday.

While attempting to repair the leak, the pipe coupling failed, which caused widespread flooding on the first through third floor. Among the areas impact included the front lobby, courtrooms, officer's dining room, and medical offices.

An estimate of 70,000 gallons of water was released during the incident, Ivory said.

Ivory called conditions inside the jail "unsafe and disruptive" for the inmates as well as staff working during the weekend's below-freezing temperatures.

Video shared from inside the jail showed water pouring from ceiling tiles, overflowing filled garbage cans and other containers. Another video showed water shooting from a broken toilet, causing the room to fill and spill out into the hallway.

"This is not an isolated incident," said Ivory. "It is the predictable result of a building that is past its useful life and cannot reliably support basic operations."

The councilwoman pointed to a similar pipe failure in 2025, which resulted in more than $1 million in damages. She said the county needed to do more to ensure that the jail on Rice Street was structurally sound and providing humane conditions to those living in its walls.

"Whether it is a fire, a massive pipe burst, or another infrastructure failure, these emergencies keep happening because the building is fundamentally unsound," Ivory said. "People are being housed in a facility that cannot reliably provide basic conditions, and that is unacceptable."

While Sheriff Pat Labat has asked for the city to build a new facility, the Fulton County Board of Commissioners has chose instead to focus on renovations to the current structure.

This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as soon as we receive additional information.