Small fire breaks out at Eastern Correctional Institution inside jail cell

A fire sparked by an inmate’s cigarette at a Maryland prison caused minor damage but no injuries, officials say.

by Phil Stilton
Prison-Jail-Cell

WESTOVER, Md. — A small fire broke out inside a jail cell at Eastern Correctional Institution on Thursday afternoon, officials said.

The fire was discovered at 12:10 p.m. by facility staff. It was quickly contained within five minutes, causing no structural damage and an estimated $100 in content loss.

According to investigators, the fire started when an inmate was smoking in the cell, igniting a pile of clothing. Smoke alarms were activated, but fire alarms and sprinklers did not engage due to the fire’s small size.

No arrests were made in connection with the incident. No injuries were reported.