Fight triggers lockdown at Burnside jail

An inmate at a Halifax-area jail is recovering from head injuries he sustained in a fight.

The fight on Thursday night sparked a lockdown in the unit, which continued into Friday night.

Halifax Regional Police officers were dispatched to the jail Friday at about 4 a.m., several hours after the fight occurred, Const. Brian Palmeter said. He said police are compiling a list of people they believe were involved, but offered no details on the incident.

The Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility has seen several violent incidents in recent months. The facility, otherwise known as the Burnside jail, houses some of the province's most dangerous offenders.

On Aug. 27, a guard at the jail was lured into a cell and attacked by an inmate pretending to be injured. When the guard opened the door, the inmate punched him in the face several times.

Another guard was punched on Aug. 6 while escorting a prisoner. The next afternoon, another guard was stabbed in the abdomen with a pen while inspecting a cell.

After the stabbing incident, bulletproof vests became mandatory for guards at the correctional facility.