Inmate Michael Lewis yesterday said prison officials had ample opportunity to rescue prisoners from the March 3rd fatal fire, in which 17 of his fellow inmates died.
He was at the time testifying before the Commission of Inquiry into the prisoner deaths at the Department of Public Service building in Georgetown.
Lewis, a murder accused, stated that the hole in the wall that the prisoners had made after the doors to Capital A Block of the Capital Division building were shut, could have allowed the prison authorities access to the dormitory.
The hole, which he stated was approximately 5ft by 3ft on the day of the tragedy, separates the Capital A Block, where the fire reportedly began, from the adjoining B Block.
It was through this hole, Lewis alleged, officers had first extinguished the fire.