A New York state prison was placed on lockdown after inmates attacked and injured three guards days after concerns of staffing shortages were reported. 

The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) announced that the Collins Correctional Facility in Erie County was placed on lockdown following an early morning incident on Wednesday, the Albany Times Union reported. 

The incident happened around 1 a.m. when three dorms were taken over by inmates and the staff were removed, a union rep for the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association told the outlet.

The situation involved the use of force and led to the recovery of two cell phones, according to the outlet.

New York City Department of Correction officer at Rikers Island.  (James Keivom/New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

“I need each of you to do a comprehensive review of each post, post order, duty description and identify where we can eliminate and/or realign posts and associated duties,” Martuscello wrote in a memo obtained by the outlet.

“This exercise cannot be done in a vacuum, we should engage local union representatives … in order to achieve the reduction in staff needed, which will ultimately result in a better work-life balance for staff and an overall safer facility.”

Gold told the outlet that “Collins has been so short-staffed and screaming for help.”

“They’re mandating people on triple shifts all the time because they don’t have enough staffing,” Gold added. “My thoughts and prayers are with everybody in there right now, including the CERT teams and crisis teams.”

WRGB reported that recent past incidents at the facility have raised concerns after nine officers were injured in a June 12 incident. Then, less than two months later, 11 officers were hospitalized after coming into contact with a substance after trying to help an inmate on Aug. 4.

Fox News Digital reached out to the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision and New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association but did not immediately receive a response.