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Ross County Sheriff Says Jail Fire Was Part Of Drug Smuggling Plan

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The Ross County Jail sits on Paint St. in downtown Chillicothe.

The Ross County Sheriff's Office says an inmate apparently started a fire at the county jail as part of an attempt to smuggle drugs into the facility.

An area resident spotted the fire Saturday outside a second-floor window at the Ross County Jail in downtown Chillicothe. Firefighters extinguished the blaze.

The county sheriff's office says no one was hurt and no staff or inmates were ever in danger.

Authorities say they suspect the fire was started by an inmate who was jailed for a prison assault while serving a five-year sentence on drug-related counts. Investigators didn't release details of how the fire was started.

No charges were immediately filed in that matter.

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