Around 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, calls for aid went out from the Federal Correctional Institution in Edgefield after officials there say a routine gathering in the recreation yard turned violent.

Four inmates were seriously injured during what officials termed as a “fight” and flown by helicopter to the Medical College of Georgia. According to information gathered at the scene, each of the four inmates were stabbed.

A total of three medical helicopters and scores of other law enforcement and emergency personnel rushed to the prison, located off of Gary Hill Road. Unconfirmed reports placed the number of injured as being between 30 and 40 inmates, but prison officials would only say that “several” other inmates with “minor injuries” were being treated at the scene.

An emergency crew responded from McCormick County, while similar crews in Saluda and Aiken were placed on standby. The helicopter aircrews utilized landing areas at the prison and Edgefield County Hospital to evacuate the wounded inmates.

Wayne Smith, public information officer for the facility, delivered a brief printed statement on the incident to media members gathered outside, but he would not answer any questions regarding the incident and would only say that to his knowledge none of the inmates airlifted from the prison had died.

“Staff immediately and effectively responded and the incident has been contained,” read the statement. “The cause of this incident is unknown at this time and an investigation has begun.”

The statement, which said the prison is currently under “lockdown” status and that all inmates had been accounted for, added that no facility staff members were injured in the fight.

An incident at the facility last fall resulted in the prison remaining on “lockdown” for several months.