Jail must meet standards, state's fire marshal says

The Faulkner County Detention Center must become compliant with state fire standards or else it could be fined up to $1,000 a day.

"Certainly they have to meet the minimum requirements of the state fire code," Arkansas Fire Marshal Lt. Ray Karnahan said.

Although no timeline for compliance has been set, Karnahan said that he and the Conway Fire Department will "look at the situation and determine a reasonable amount of time" in which the detention center must come into compliance.

According to Conway Fire Marshal Randy Freeman, a conference call between Karnahan, Conway Fire Chief Bart Castleberry and himself is scheduled for this week so that they may determine a course of action.

The detention center was recently found to be in violation of the state fire code which requires that buildings allow 120 square feet of gross floor space per person for each floor level.

According to measurements taken by Freeman, the jail can legally house a total of 118 inmates. Faulkner County Sheriff Marty Montgomery said the inmate population hovers around 200, which is roughly 66 percent over capacity.

The county, if convicted of the violation, could be guilty of a misdemeanor offense punishable by up to $1,000 fine for each day of noncompliance.