Police officers and handcuffed inmates stood on the sidewalk and watched as smoke poured out the front door of the city jail Wednesday morning. Firefighters donned oxygen masks and entered the building to put out the blaze, only to discover that the source was a smoke cannister of the type frequently used by the military. The canister was found in one of jail’s unused cells.

“We are still investigating how that smoke grenade was smuggled in,” said Officer Donner on Wednesday afternoon. “I had no idea that one cannister could produce that much smoke. It’s crazy!”

No inmates escaped during the evacuation. The city jail has four cells, but only three people were being held at the time. The three inmates, none of whom were being held for violent crimes, were led half a block to Dolly’s Donuts and cuffed to one of the outdoor metal patio tables. Meanwhile, city workers used a pair of giant shop fans to clear the building of smoke. By noon, the inmates were returned to their cells.