A prisoner set fire to her cell bedding at Christchurch Women's Prison last night, causing extensive damage and injuring two prison guards who came to help her.
Two Corrections Department officers received minor burns while putting the fire out and removing the prisoner from her cell.
She was not injured and is now in an at-risk unit and eight prison cells have been closed off because of smoke damage.
The repair cost is not yet known.
"It is incredibly frustrating to have to deal with the kind of needless damage and risk to staff safety caused by these kind of incidents," Corrections chief executive Ray Smith said.
He praised the professionalism of the guards.
The start of the prison smoking ban on July of this year would prevent such incidents, he said.
"A substantial number of incidents involve prisoners using cigarette lighters or matches to start fires, trigger smoke detectors, smoke illicit drugs and make weapons. The ban will put a stop to this kind of destructive behaviour."
The smoking ban will be preceded by a number of support initiatives to encourage prisoners and staff to quit.
It will mean a total ban on smoking and possession of cigarette papers, matches and lighters for prisoners.
In the past year, there have been around 50 incidents of fire or arson in New Zealand prisons.
A police investigation is underway and charges may follow.
- NZPA
Prisoner sets fire to bedding, injures two
File photo / NZH
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