Juvenile dies in prison fire
2003-01-05 17:12
Rustenburg - A prisoner at Rustenburg's Medium A juvenile prison died and two others are in hospital after the three allegedly set a mattress alight in a cell, said Sarie Peens of the provincial correctional service.
Peens said the three allegedly hid when others went to lunch, barricaded the door of a communal cell and set a mattress alight with contraband matches.
Authorities believed the flaming mattress gave off a noxious gas and that, by the time prison warders were able to enter the cell through the barricaded door, the prisoner had died.
The other two were taken to hospital for treatment, said Peens.
- SAPA