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| Guys Marsh Prison: Evacuation after fire is started 'by inmate on roof' | Guys Marsh Prison: Evacuation after fire is started 'by inmate on roof' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Firefighters are at the scene of a blaze at a prison in Dorset. | Firefighters are at the scene of a blaze at a prison in Dorset. |
| It is understood a prisoner clambered onto the pitched roof of one of the house blocks at HMP Guys Marsh near Shaftesbury, took off his clothes and set fire to them. | It is understood a prisoner clambered onto the pitched roof of one of the house blocks at HMP Guys Marsh near Shaftesbury, took off his clothes and set fire to them. |
| The fire is believed to have damaged the roof and around 60 inmates in the block were evacuated to a secure area. | |
| The inmate has been brought down from the roof and the Prison Service said there was no risk to the public. | |
| BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said it is believed the prisoner was drunk and was protesting at changes to the prison regime. | BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said it is believed the prisoner was drunk and was protesting at changes to the prison regime. |
| A source said the protest started around 17:00 GMT and two hours later the prisoner started ripping off roof tiles before setting his clothes alight. | A source said the protest started around 17:00 GMT and two hours later the prisoner started ripping off roof tiles before setting his clothes alight. |
| A Prison Service spokesperson said: "There is no danger to the public and staff are working to bring the incident to a safe conclusion as quickly as possible." | |
| The emergency services were called to a report of a fire at the prison at around 20:00 on Friday. | |
| Officers attended and discovered a large fire on the roof of a building within the prison, which is believed to have been started deliberately. | |
| A total of 64 prisoners were evacuated from the affected area and were being held in a secure zone within the prison overnight. | |
| 'Isolated incident' | |
| Dorset Police said all prisoners and staff were accounted for and that the South Western Ambulance Service was also at the scene as a precaution. | |
| One prisoner who was reported to be on the roof of the prison building during the incident has been brought back down to safety and is being checked over by paramedics as a precaution. | |
| Supt Caroline Naughton said: "This was an isolated incident. An investigation is now under way to establish the exact cause of the fire. These enquiries remain ongoing. | |
| "We would like to reassure members of the community that there is no immediate risk to those living in the surrounding area and that the incident is under control." |