BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - A lockdown at the state penitentiary has ended after a fight led to a search for weapons and other contraband, the warden says.

Warden Tim Schuetzle said the lockdown was ordered after a fight during recreation time Thursday night that involved homemade weapons.

"When we lock down the facility, what we want to try and do is complete a search of the entire facility, and it's difficult to do that if we are in normal operations," Schuetzle said.

"We just secure everyone in their cells, let any tensions cool down, and then the staff has more time on their hands when they can go and do these searches and try to clean up the facility, and that's what we've been doing," he said.

The warden said the lockdown ended at noon Monday.

The state penitentiary, which has about 520 inmates, has been in a lockdown mode about once a year during the last four or five years, the warden said. The last one was in November.