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HMP Highpoint Fire Contained After Overnight Battle

An investigation will follow, with all staff and inmates reported safe.

Overview

  • At HMP Highpoint in Suffolk, a fire that started in a prison block on Friday at about 2.40pm led staff to evacuate the building and account for everyone.
  • Suffolk Fire and Rescue mounted a large response that grew to 17 engines at its peak, with support from Cambridgeshire crews and an aerial ladder platform.
  • Firefighters worked through the night and split the incident into sectors so teams could attack different parts of the blaze in a controlled way.
  • Crews faced intense heat, difficult access, and a complex internal layout, while the ambulance service reported no casualties and kept paramedics on site.
  • By 7.28am Saturday, the incident was declared stopped after crews opened up the structure to reach hot spots, and fire investigators were set to begin work with the cause not yet known.