Riot in US jail puts seven in hospital

SHOTS were fired in an American jail on Friday night after around 200 inmates began rioting.

Seven inmates at Folsom State Prison in California were hospitalised following the disturbance, although officials said it wasn't clear how many had suffered gunshot wounds.

Correctional officers opened fire as they tried to break up rioting that erupted on Friday evening in the main exercise yard.

Prison officials initially said guards wounded five inmates, but clarified that it remained unclear how many were shot by guards, or if they were hurt in some other manner.

None of the inmates suffered life-threatening injuries. No officers were hurt in the riot, which reportedly ended after about half an hour.

Officials said they didn't know what precipitated the violence. The prison was on lock-down as an investigation got under way.

The prison, made famous in the Johnny Cash song Folsom Prison Blues, has seen sporadic violence over its 130-year existence.

Most recently, in October, eight inmates were injured after a fight involving about 120 prisoners erupted in a dining hall at the prison. Prison officials described most of those injuries as superficial. None were life-threatening, although the inmates were sent to area hospitals.

In April 2002, 24 inmates and one guard were injured during a riot.

Opened in 1880, Folsom State Prison, located about 20 miles east of Sacramento, is California's second oldest prison, primarily housing medium-security inmates.

The prison also operates a minimum-security unit and a transitional treatment facility.

According to the facility's website, it has a custodial staff of 643, with 3,540 inmates.