Firefighters called to Okanagan Corrections Centre to deal with fire in cell

An early morning fire at the Okanagan Correctional Centre created smoky conditions in one of the institution’s cell blocks.

Oliver Fire Department personnel responded to a fire in at the jail around 2:45 a.m today, Feb. 5.

Fire department spokesperson Rob Graham says the correctional centre advised him that some materials caught on fire while a prisoner was in their cell.

“It created quite a bit of smoke, that’s why they called us. We were given entrance to the building and escorted by corrections officers to the scene,” Graham says.

Guards had evacuated the portion of the cell block affected by smoke prior to the firefighters’ arrival, so no one was in any danger, Graham says.

Six firefighters were able to clear out the smoke and remove the burning materials, which appeared to be bedding and paper products.

Graham says it was a bit of a process getting into the structure, which he noted was largely fireproof.

“There’s not much that’s going to burn in there,” he said.

Graham says there were no reports of injuries.

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