WESTOVER, Md. — A small fire broke out inside a jail cell at Eastern Correctional Institution on Friday evening, but it was quickly extinguished by the inmate before causing significant damage, authorities said.
The incident occurred at 6:40 p.m. at the state-run detention facility located at 30420 Revells Neck Road. Prison staff discovered the fire and instructed the inmate to put it out, which was done using the toilet, officials said.
No injuries were reported, and the fire did not activate smoke alarms, sprinklers, or fire alarms due to its small size. The estimated property loss was $25 in contents, with no structural damage.
No firefighters responded to the incident, and no alarms were triggered. Officials have classified the fire as incendiary, and an arrest is pending.
Authorities have not released details on the inmate involved as the investigation continues.