The Lee County sheriff took to Facebook Thursday to dispel rumors surrounding Hurricane Ian.
“Debunking rumors related to Hurricane Ian,” Carmine Marceno began his post. “No children or adults died in our custody at the Lee County Jail as a result of the hurricane.”
The jail was notably the only one in the area affected by Ian that opted not to evacuate its inmates. Meanwhile, the Florida Department of Corrections evacuated at least 25 facilities in Jacksonville, St. Petersburg, and Bradenton. Lee County Jail’s decision had some speculating about the well-being of its inmates.
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“In an abundance of caution, inmates were relocated within the main jail to a higher floor,” Marceno said in a statement following reports of the jail’s conditions during the storm.
The Matanzas Pass Bridge connects Fort Myers to an adjacent beach town but was only open to foot traffic for residents, prohibiting cars from driving across. The lack of traffic had led some to believe it was completely destroyed.
“Fort Myers Beach — Matanzas Bridge did NOT collapse,” Marceno clarified in his Facebook post. “IF you’re refusing to leave your home on Fort Myers Beach you are prohibited from wandering. Shelter in place.”
Marceno was referring to reports that residents who remained in Fort Myers were trapped, with no bus routes in operation.
“We are NOT prohibiting supplies onto any islands,” Marceno wrote. “Access to Pine Island was prohibited when the roadway was impassable and had collapsed. This was for the safety and security of everyone.”
Reports that volunteers were being turned away preceded the sheriff’s explanation. Repairs to the damaged Matlacha Bridge and roadways have been ongoing. The National Guard and FEMA are providing necessary supplies, according to the sheriff.
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“The Sanibel Lighthouse IS still standing,” Marceno wrote. The structure is reportedly on the verge of collapse, with the adjacent house at the foot of the lighthouse destroyed in the storm.
