Lewes Prison ‘major incident’ with multiple prisoners ‘unwell’ and decontamination tent set up
A NUMBER of people are being treated at the prison HMP Lewes with a decontamination tent sent up at the local hospital.
The people at the Sussex jail are believed to have been poisoned, with Eastbourne hospital dealing with a “major incident”.
Reports were made to ambulance services from the Category B prison at approximately midday.
Approximately eight ambulance, police and fire service on the scene.
One ambulance at the prison was a CBRN ambulance which deals with chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear events.
A decontamination tent has been set up at Eastbourne Hospital, with a sign reading “major incident”, The Argus reported.
That local paper understands that ten to 15 prisoners are being treated and two are in a life-threatening condition.
South East Coast Ambulance confirmed to The Sun they are at the prison.
A spokesman said: “We can confirm we are attending an incident at HMP Lewes reported to us at approximately midday today.”
Sussex Police also confirmed they were assisting the ambulance service “following the report of a medical incident at HMP Lewes at around 12.30pm.”
HMP Lewes can house 624 prisoners in single and double cells and was opened in 1853.
As a category B prison, it primarily holds prisoners taken straight from courts in Kent, Surrey, and Sussex.
A 2023 report found Lewes had “not sufficiently good” safety and respect ratings.
Prisoners under the supervision of staff generally prepare food in prison.
“It wouldn’t be unusual at festival times for staff to attend religious services and staff are encouraged to participate,” the prison source said.
East Sussex Fire and Rescue said it was “currently working with other agencies and specialist teams to ascertain the cause of the issue” and referred queries to police.
The Sun has contacted Sussex Police for comment.
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