Spring Hill Prison lockdown ends after inmates start riot, light fires
Photo:
Corrections / Chai Patel
A prison riot at Spring Hill Corrections Facility in Waikato has come to an end.
Fire and Emergency, St John, police and a Department of Corrections Advanced Control & Restraint team with "specialist capability" responded to the incident.
Custodial Services Commissioner Leigh Marsh praised corrections staff for having safely brought the incident to an end, without any injury to staff or prisoners.
About 3.30pm Saturday, a group of 11 prisoners had refused to leave the exercise yard. They lit a "small number of fires", and began damaging prison property. About two hours later all prisoners exited the yard and were secured, and the fires were put out, she said.
"The incident was contained to the yard, and there was no threat to the safety of the public or the wider prison."
The had been no reports of injury to any staff or prisoners, she said.
"This behaviour will not be tolerated and the prisoners involved will be held to account. Corrections will carry out a review into the incident, and will also refer the matter to Police," she said.
"We would like to acknowledge the support of our colleagues at FENZ, Police and Hato Hone St John in responding to this afternoon's incident."
Fire and Emergency shift manager Michael Anderson said earlier five trucks, two water tankers, a ladder truck and a command unit had responded to the incident. .
Police said they were advised at about 3.50pm of the disorder and fire at the facility.
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