A cell at Nyarugenge Prison, also known as 1930, caught fire on Sunday afternoon causing minor injuries, officials have said. The prison holds 3,127 inmates. The affected cell was host to 68 inmates, according to Hillary Sengabo, Senior Inspector of Prisons (SIP) at Rwanda Correctional Services.
A cell at Nyarugenge Prison, also known as 1930, caught fire on Sunday afternoon causing minor injuries, officials have said.
The prison holds 3,127 inmates.
The affected cell was host to 68 inmates, according to Hillary Sengabo, Senior Inspector of Prisons (SIP) at Rwanda Correctional Services.
He said security organs including Rwanda National Police (RNP) and the Rwanda Defense Force (RDF) rushed on site put out the fire before it could spread further.
The Commanding Officer of the Fire and Rescue Brigade, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Jean-Batiste Seminega, said the fire engines stationed at the nearby Union Trade Centre (UTC) had reached the site within five minutes of receiving of the call.
He added that they could not immediately establish the cause of the fire and investigations are still ongoing.
SIP Sengabo said three inmates were injured during the evacuation process.
He said two of the injured were attended to from within the prison compound. The other sustained a head injury and was taken to Muhima Hospital for further medical treatment.
Some inmates attempted to escape in the commotion, promoting Police to fire warning shots in the air.
According to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Johnston Busingye, some inmates attempted to flee using the back entrance.
"People tried to climb the rear gate of the prison as they were trying to escape,” Busingye said.
Meanwhile, the Nyarugenge Prison inmates are set to relocate to Mageragere Prison starting from February, 2017, according to the Ministry of Justice.
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