13 July 2012
An inmate required medical treatment for smoke inhalation after a fire broke out at a prison in Scotland during the early hours of Thursday morning. The blaze took hold in a cell at Addiewell Prison, in West Lothian, at approximately 4.30am. While Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that one man was involved in the incident, a spokesperson for the local ambulance service said he did not require hospitalisation.
With the requirement that prisoners are locked securely in their cells at night, it is crucial that a rigorous fire risk assessment is conducted regularly so that they are not in danger if an incident occurs. It is of paramount importance that all staff know exactly what to do in the event that a fire breaks out, either in a cell or in a communal area, and that automatic detection systems are regularly tested. According to a spokesperson for the UK's Prison Service, "robust measures" are in place to deal with the risk of fires in prisons and each prison carries out regular assessments to ensure that prisoners, staff and visitors are as safe as possible.
