An evaporative "swamp" cooler at the Bachman Unit of the Arizona State Prison Complex Lewis 2D was under repair for four days this week, leaving people inside the unit without reliable climate control while the Valley baked in a mid-July heat spike. Relatives and viewers sent cellphone video and complaints to local media about what they described as inhumane conditions in the unit. The outage hit in the middle of heat season, as daytime highs across Phoenix climbed into the 90s and then into triple digits.
As reported by ABC15, the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry confirmed that the Bachman unit's evaporative cooler was under repair from last Friday through Monday. The station noted that Phoenix daytime readings during that stretch ran roughly from the low 90s into the triple digits, and reported that the department's heat-mitigation plan includes steps such as handing out free ice to incarcerated people when indoor temperatures cross certain thresholds.
Units Still Waiting On HVAC Funding
State planning documents show the Lewis complex still has housing units that rely on older evaporative systems instead of modern HVAC. The department's Facilities HVAC Conversion Plan lists three units at Lewis 2D, including Bachman 2D, as awaiting funding for conversion. The state's FY 2026 budget materials show that money has been directed to begin conversions at other prisons while a multi-year rollout continues.
Extreme Heat Warning Raises Stakes
The outage lined up with an Extreme Heat Warning for the Phoenix area from the National Weather Service, which warned of major to extreme heat and a heightened risk of heat-related illness. The advisory underscores how failures of older evaporative systems inside confined housing can raise medical risks for people who are incarcerated.
Family Video And The Push For AC
Family members and outside viewers told ABC15 that their video showed prisoners fanning themselves and struggling in the heat, and the station pressed the department for answers. Reporting and earlier coverage describe ADCRR's statewide Extreme Heat Safety and Relief Strategy and an ongoing campaign to replace swamp coolers, a rollout summarized last year in a breakdown of the state's extreme heat safety measures.
The episode adds pressure on state officials and lawmakers to speed up HVAC upgrades at older complexes, advocates say, arguing that temporary fixes such as ice and cooling tents are not long-term solutions. ADCRR has said it will keep using mitigation measures while conversion projects move ahead, and that funding decisions will dictate how quickly units like Bachman receive permanent HVAC.
