Stop work order issued at Billerica House of Correction

The state building inspector issued a stop work order Friday, Dec. 20, at the Billerica House of Correction due to structural concerns.

According to Alex Zaroulis, spokeswoman for the state Executive Office of Administration and Finance, the state building inspector was called to the House of Correction at the request of the Department of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM), the state agency overseeing the expansion project.

"DCAMM called the state building inspector because they noticed that a column had fractures in it as they were working on it," said Zaroulis. "In an abundance of caution, they wanted to make sure there was not going to be any structural issues."

As a result of Friday's inspection, a stop work order was issued until the structural integrity of the building can be fixed.

"We will continue to examine it over the next couple of days," Zaroulis added. "There will be activity up there as they work to make sure things are secure."

DCAMM will continue to cooperate with the state building inspector, Zaroulis said.

"They will be working on it tomorrow to shore up any potential further fracturing as they continue to work with the state building inspector," she said. "Safety is our main concern."

The state has embarked on a $37 million expansion of the Billerica House of Correction that includes the construction of two new buildings, adding 496 beds to the facility. Detainees from the Cambridge Jail will be moved to Billerica as the Cambridge Jail will be closing. Middlesex Sheriff Peter Koutoujian hopes the move will be temporary as the state finds another suitable site to construct a Middlesex County jail complex in southern Middlesex County.

Zaroulis could not confirm what portion of the buildings was identified as having fractures.

"This will hopefully just be a small stop," she said.

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Stop work order issued at Billerica House of Correction