High profile prisoner Collin Jones yesterday morning set fire to a mattress in his cell at the Camp Street Prison and it was the quick action of prison authorities that averted a disaster.
Stabroek News was unable to make contact with prison director Dale Erskine but a senior fire official said that sometime during the morning hours prison authorities spotted the fire and managed to put it out.
The fire official said that the fire service was called but by the time they arrived everything was under control. He assured that the fire service responded promptly to the report.
According to the official it was Jones who set the flame to the mattress; this being about the third time he has managed to do this. Stabroek News was told that the fire damage was contained to the mattress.
Back in May last year Jones who is on remand for the Ministry of Health arson, murder and other matters had set fire to his mattress.
He did so again last December. On that occasion Erskine had told Stabroek News about how the high risk prisoner managed to start the fire.
“You would be amazed at some of the resources these prisoners have,”
He said too that prisoners were very skillful as they could take two bricks from the yard, rub them together until there is a flame.
On a daily basis, Erskine added, cigarettes, lighters and even cellular phones are being smuggled into the prison system and as a result officials have to be on a constant watch. Every day new ways are being found to smuggle in the items, he had emphasized.
