Prisoner killed in fire at Hague prison

One person was killed when a fire broke out in a cell at the prison in Scheveningen during the early hours of Thursday morning. The other prisoners in the affected wing were evacuated and given shelter elsewhere in the complex. No one else was injured, the Telegraaf reports.

The fire was in the penitentiary institution Haaglanden on Pompstationweg in Scheveningen, The Hague. The prisoner in the cell where the fire started, did not survive the incident. Smoke spread through the entire wing. A number of prisoners were checked over for smoke inhalation, but no one needed further treatment, a spokesperson for the fire department said to the Telegraaf.

The fire department initially classified it as a very large fire, but managed to get it under control and scaled down very quickly. The cause of the fire is unknown. The police are investigating.

The penitentiary in Scheveningen consists of a Penitentiary Psychiatric Center, a High Security Institution and Judiciary Center for Somatic Care. It also provides space for suspects who have to appear in front of international tribunals, such as the UN's International Court of Justice.