Camp Hill the day that lasted 72 hoursOn October 25, 1989, more than 1,300 inmates at the Camp Hill State Correctional Institution rioted. The rioters took at least 8 hostages, started 4 fires and caused millions of dollars in damage. More than 35 staff members, 5 inmates, 1 firefighter and 1 state trooper were injured in the worst uprising in Pennsylvania history. Inmates returning from an exercise yard late in the afternoon overwhelmed correctional staff and took hostages. Inmates were reportedly unhappy with overcrowding and the suspension of their privileges. They set fires that destroyed more than half of the 31 buildings and took hostage not only guards but also other inmates who did not want to join the riots. The riot ended in negotiations and the inmates were confined to their cells. The superintendent informed news and authorities that the riot was over. The next day, the superintendent met with the inmates to discuss their grievances. Unbeknownst to the superintendent or staff, many of the cells in which inmates were confined were unsecured, allowing a second riot to break out later in the day, allowing prisoners to escape and to take more than 17 other hostages and injure 138 agents. About 800 soldiers were on the scene at the height of the riots and hundreds more were on their way to begin shift changes as the riots continued for three days. Negotiations were attempted again, but the riot eventually ended when state police forced their way into the compound. The biggest problem at Camp Hill was that it was originally designed for juveniles, but was transferred to adult offenders without considering the inadequacy of the physical facilities or environment. training required. At the time the riots began, Camp Hill's holding capacity was 1,826 people, but housed more than 2,600 inmates, operating at capacity of 142 %..