A prisoner at the Merksplas prison in the province of Antwerp set fire to his cell on Sunday evening, the prison administration stated. In response, staff began a 24-hour strike on Monday morning.
The man who started the fire was injured but staff were able to get him out of his cell in time. Several staff members had to go to the hospital after inhaling too much smoke.
The floor affected by the fire had to be evacuated, but the inmate responsible for the accident, along with the other inmates on the floor, were returned to their cells within a short amount of time.
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Following the fire, a 24-hour strike began on Monday morning at the prison. The unions and staff are condemning the large number of assaults and other incidents caused by inmates who should be in psychiatric centres but are instead placed in Merksplas due to a lack of space.
The strike is having a significant impact on the running of the prison, the prison administration stated, adding that the police will intervene if necessary.
