HMP Northward fire incident under investigation

A joint investigation into the fire incident, which occurred at the Her Majesty’s Prison on Tuesday, 21 November, is currently being conducted by the Cayman Islands Fire Service and the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS).

Initial information is that prison officers detected smoke within the High Risk Unit originating from inside a prisoner’s cell. On investigation, a small fire was observed on his mattress and extinguished by the responding prison officers. Contact was made with the Department of Public Safety Communications’ 911-Centre which dispatched police, fire, and ambulance services.

As a result of the incident, two prisoners were transported to the George Town Hospital by ambulance to be treated for smoke inhalation. Additionally, three prison officers also attended the hospital for treatment. Both prisoners were discharged and returned to HMP Northward without incident. All three prison officers have also been discharged.

Following the event, Minister of Health and Wellness, and Home Affairs Hon. Sabrina Turner stated, “The security of our prisons, safety of staff, and welfare of prisoners alike is of paramount importance to me. I would like to thank the Fire Service, RCIPS, EMS, and Health Services Authority for their collective professionalism and collaboration in response to this incident.”