The City of Zanesville is assessing damages after an inmate in the municipal jail pulled the head off a sprinkler Wednesday evening, causing major water damage to the building.

“This is a huge issue,” said Zanesville Police Chief Tony Coury.

According to Coury, two floors of the jail became flooded with water as high as eight inches as a result of the act.

Assistant Fire Chief Doug Hobson said the inmate damaged a third-floor sprinkler which caused water to flow down to the second and first floors of the building.

Due to the extensive damage and pending repairs, Coury said some of the jail’s non-violent inmates were released early to minimize the population to a manageable level.

The man who caused the damage was transferred to the county jail for his own safety. He had originally been booked just a few days prior on misdemeanor offenses but now faces felony charges. His name is not being released by police at this time pending investigation.

Currently, officials are meeting with experts to assess the damage before a dollar estimate can be determined, but Public Safety Director Keane Toney said it will easily exceed $10,000.

According to Hobson, most of the damage is electrical or cosmetic. The jail’s lights, cameras, fire alarms and sprinkler system were damaged by the flooding.

Despite relocating and releasing some inmates, Coury said the jail is still a secure and operable facility.

“We are full operational and still taking prisoners,” said Coury.

The Zanesville police and fire departments, Muskingum County Sheriff’s Office and Muskingum County Emergency Management Agency all worked together throughout the incident.