Lamoreaux says two staffers suffered minor injuries and 17 inmates were taken to area hospitals with injuries. The extent of the inmates' injuries wasn't immediately available. The prison is investigating the cause of the fight, which broke out in the Whetstone Unit.
Nearly 1,250 prisoners are housed in that unit, which is one of eight at the prison. Inmates from the prison's seven other units were not involved in the fight. Prison officials cancelled visitations for the day to the entire prison after the fight.
Prison officials credit the guards on duty for getting the fight under control quickly and for preventing it from spreading. Reports say the fight involved approximately 300 white and Mexican-American inmates and approximately 100 African-American inmates.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
