Prison fires and subsequent injuries remain of serious
concern according to the recently published 2024-25
Annual Report of the Crown Premises Fire Safety Inspectorate (CPFSI). It’s
a much more timely and useful publication than usual- the 2023-24
Report came out just four months ago- and it’s a troubling one.
The latest update reveals that the 116 prisons in England saw
534 fire related injuries in the last financial year, 60 fewer than in 2023-4
but still three times more than occurred five years ago. Fire incidents have
doubled over the last five years from 1308 to 2932.
The data in the Report, which includes all recorded fires,
not only those where the Fire Service attends, shows double the rate of fires
in private sector prisons than in public ones.
2,263 fires were recorded in the 101 public sector prisons –
an average of 22.4 fires per prison. 669 fires were recorded at the 15 private
jails, a rate of 44.6. The sectors are not directly comparable- for one thing there
are 11 publicly run Open Prisons accommodating low risk prisoners and none in
the private sector. It’s concerning to read that three private prisons accounted
for more than 300 fires last year.
95% of prison fires are started deliberately with vapes responsible
for causing more than two thirds of them. CPFSI is optimistic that a new Safer
Vape Pen will prove a “significant advancement in prison safety” when it’s
rolled out shortly. The device hasn’t been linked to any fires in the eight
prisons where its being trialled.
But Young Offender Institutions for under 18s have also seen
more fires in recent years although vapes aren’t available there. At Werrington
and Wetherby misuse of electrical wiring was responsible for causing 97% of
fires.
As the Report points out prisoners start fires for numerous
reasons: challenging prison regimes, conflicts with other prisoners and staff
and to inflict harm. It seems naïve to think new vape pens will eradicate
prison fires altogether.
Chief Inspector Peter Holland accepts that the figures in his
Report clearly demonstrate the need for further concerted action to reduce the
frequency and impact of fires. He says that 44% of prison cells still do not
have suitable in cell fire detection. Presumably this is in line with the
Prison Service estimate of 21,000 cells failing to meet fire safety standards which was recently shared with MPs. The total number of actual cells (singles, doubles, and multi occupied rooms) in the system as a whole is not however clear -to me at any rate.
I suggested
that in their latest inquiry into the Ministry of Justice the Public Accounts
Committee investigate the true extent of the fire safety challenge in prisons and
the timescale over which HMPPS are looking to fix it. They didn’t take up the suggestion so perhaps
the Justice Committee should do so. It may not seem the highest priority just now,
but issues like fire safety never are until they are.
