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Suspected arson in Iqaluit jail Fire reignites concerns of over-crowdingPeter Worden Northern News Services Published Saturday, November 17, 2012
The first of two "suspicious" fires believed to be arson started in the bathroom ceiling of the main dorm area and the second, around 10:45 p.m., in the gym down a corridor past the cafeteria, according to a GN press release. Fire crews extinguished the blazes and BCC staff moved some inmates to a safe area inside the jail and some to a fenced-in area outside. RCMP later brought 30 inmates to the detachment's holding cells and 23 to Arctic College gymnasium. As of press deadline, 18 inmates were still in holding cells at the RCMP detachment. Some of them will be sent to other institutions due to the extent of fire damage and the ongoing investigation. The facility currently has 10 minimum-security inmates, 45 medium and 31 maximum, although those numbers fluctuate. RCMP Cpl. Yvonne Niego said the fact that there were no injuries and no risk to the public shows that the contingency protocol RCMP and correctional staff have been working on for 18 months went according to plan. "It went very smoothly," she said. "Within half an hour the evacuation was underway, and due to that collaboration there were no injuries and the public wasn't at risk whatsoever." The contingency plan does not only address fires, according to Stephen Mansell, director of policy and planning for the Department of Justice. "It also covers escapes and really any other emergency," said Mansell. "It is reviewed and refreshed often." The building, originally built for a capacity of 40 people, currently houses twice that and is showing signs of age. Mansell said a new temporary facility in Iqaluit is in the works to deal with over-crowding and plans for a new permanent structure are on-going. The fire marks the second in recent memory, after one inmate set a washroom on fire in October 2011.
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