Yesterday a detainee at Fontcalent was injured by burns after starting a fire in his cell, and two prison officers required medical treatment for smoke inhalation, according to a statement from the ACAIP-UGT union.
The union reports that this is the second inmate-initiated fire in just seven days at the Alicante facility, and it describes the conditions as a warning sign of the deteriorating infrastructure and insufficient personnel and materials. Workers in the penitentiary service were forced to risk their own safety to bring the blaze under control.
The incident occurred late Monday when a prisoner in solitary confinement set fire to the mattress in his cell. ACAIP-UGT states that the fire started in Module 9, a residential area lacking essential security measures to manage such dangerous inmates because the isolation module had been closed since the previous fire on February 25.
Given the seriousness of the event, staff from other departments were deployed to evacuate the facilities and extinguish the flames. The union notes that when the cell door was opened to rescue the inmate, the gallery rapidly filled with smoke, reducing visibility and necessitating the use of protective equipment.
ACAIP-UGT adds that the fire occupied almost the entire cell, and the inmate had to be rescued at the last moment. It also reports that the flames surged twice before being fully extinguished by the officers on site.
Two officers required hospital treatment as a result of the incident, and the inmate responsible for the fire was immediately transferred to hospital with varying degrees of burns. The rest of the inmates in the department were relocated to an adjacent module, according to ACAIP-UGT.
Old facilities
The union argues that Fontcalent prison is operating at a critical threshold and recalls that fire safety systems failed a week earlier. ACAIP-UGT specifies that the buildings are not only old but also poorly maintained, and the lack of adequate personnel and resources jeopardizes the overall security of the center.
It adds that the situation forces penitentiary staff to risk their own physical integrity while carrying out their duties and responsibilities.
From the union’s perspective, there is an urgent need to implement whatever measures are necessary to ensure safety across all departments. It also calls for practical, continuous, and specific training for penitentiary staff.
ACAIP-UGT acknowledges the efforts of the workers involved in the rescue and firefighting operations and notes that, once again, their professionalism and courage prevented a tragedy from turning into fatalities. The message remains clear: sustained focus on safety, training, and proper resources is essential to protect both staff and those in custody.