An inmate died on Thursday in a cell fire at the Meaux-Chauconin remand center (Seine-et-Marne), reported the firefighters and the prison administration, confirming information from Le
Parisien
.
Occurring at the end of the morning, this fire, the origin of which was not immediately known, was extinguished by the supervisors before the arrival of the firefighters.
"
Despite the intervention of the agents, alerted by the smoke, who were able to enter the cell equipped with protection and control the fire, the detained person had died on his bed
", declared the prison administration in a press release sent to the AFP.
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The other detainees on the floor were evacuated and taken care of by the SAMU, "
without a medical extraction being necessary
", she added.
Suspected of having inhaled fumes, four officers were taken to hospital as a precaution.
A psychological unit has been set up.
With 724 detainees for 385 places, the Meaux-Chauconin prison center has an occupancy rate of 188%, according to statistics from the Ministry of Justice as of November 1.
