PRISONERS EVACUATED AS FIRE BREAKS OUT AT MAGILLIGAN PRISON

An accommodation unit was evacuated when a fire broke out at Magilligan Prison in Co Derry at lunchtime today. 

A spokesman for the Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS) said firefighters were called to deal with a “minor” blaze which broke out in the Alpha accommodation unit at 12.30pm.

The prison is operating normally following the incident which was “declared over” shortly before 1.15pm.

The NIPS spokesperson said: “There were no injuries reported to staff, visitors or prisoners.”