Power was restored Sunday evening to a Brooklyn federal detention center that had had little to no power and heat for almost a week, the Department of Justice confirmed Sunday evening.

In a statement, the DOJ's Federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed that power had been restored to the facility after a partial outage.

 
Rallies have been ongoing outside the Metropolitan Detention Center since it came to light that inmates have had little to no heat and electricity for days.

Federal prison officials say the partial outage was due to an electrical fire.

Earlier in the day, protests outside the federal detention center escalated, as demonstrators and reporters were pepper sprayed by authorities.

Some demonstrators protesting the lack of heat and electricity at the Metropolitan Dentention Center in Brooklyn attempted to get into the facility, and witnesses say guards pushed them back and sprayed them with a stinging substance.

Witnesses say officers used significant force to push the people out, with some of those attempting to come in falling to the ground.

Governor Andrew Cuomo on Sunday called for an official investigation into the circumstances at the detention center. 

In a statement, Wyn Hornbuckle, Deputy Director of Public Affairs U.S. Department of Justice said, "The electrical power at the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facility at MDC Brooklyn was restored at approximately 6:30 pm Sunday evening. With the heat and hot water operational, and the restoration of electrical power, the facility can now begin to return to regular operations. In the coming days, the Department will work with the Bureau of Prisons to examine what happened and ensure the facility has the power, heat and backup systems in place to prevent the problem from reoccurring."

 
Rallies have been ongoing outside the Metropolitan Detention Center since it came to light that inmates have had little to no heat and electricity for days. Federal prison officials say the partial outage was due to an electrical fire
Rallies have been ongoing outside the Metropolitan Detention Center since it came to light that inmates have had little to no heat and electricity for days. Federal prison officials say the partial outage was due to an electrical fire.