Ceiling and melted skylight in the foyer. Photo: ACT Correctional Services.
THE review into a serious fire at the Alexander Maconochie Centre on November 14 discovered a major security issue after it found that detainees breached a locked door during the incident.
Conducted by the Office of the ACT Inspector of Correctional Services, the review, presented in the ACT Legislative Assembly today (April 20), revealed that the fire in Sentenced Cottage 2, a two-storey low security unit, accommodating both sentenced and remand detainees, was very serious and caused significant damage to the cottage, with an estimated repair cost of about $40,000.
The ACT Inspector of Correctional Services, Neil McAllister said: “It has also raised a major security issue of detainees being able to breach a locked door [after night lock in], which has since been addressed by ACT Corrective Services.”