The State - News from Oct. 12, 1986

Despite the fact that fire marshals say a new jail in Fresno fails to meet minimum safety standards, county officials plan to open it Monday because they say it is needed to relieve overcrowding. The officials maintain that it was designed as a temporary structure to be used until a $35-million building is completed in 1988. Fresno County rushed the branch jail’s completion to meet a court deadline to halt inmate overcrowding at the present main jail. Both city and county fire marshals say the new building has an inadequate alarm system, inadequate wall paneling and other deficiencies. However, city Fire Marshal Richard Borgadt admitted that marshals do not have authority to block Monday’s opening.