Sixty prison inmates had to flee for their lives after arsonist set fire to his cell

SIXTY inmates fled for their lives after an arsonist set fire to his cell.

The lags escaped to the exercise yard at Durham prison as smoke billowed out a cell.

Prison officers at the Victorian era prison put out the fire under an inmate's bed.

A source said: "The whole unit was evacuated to the exercise yard.

"There was poisonous smoke billowing around and everybody was coughing.

"Thankfully the prisoners co-operated and nobody was hurt."

Glyn Travis of the Prison Officers Association said: ";Staff reacted professionally.

"They evacuated the unit in accordance with procedure and then helped put out the blaze.

"Unfortunately, inmates setting fires in their cells is getting more common.

"And with less staff, it is getting harder to deal with any emergency."

The fire brigade was called to the incident at the category B jail on January 16.

They said it was extinguished at 3.55pm - 30 minutes after the initial alert.

A inmate has been moved the Care and Separation unit.

The jail, in County Durham, has room for 1,017 inmates.

A Prison Service spokesman said: "Staff at HMP Durham put out a small cell fire on Monday, January 16.

"There were no injuries to staff or prisoners and the fire service attended as a precaution."

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