Avellino: Fire and violence at the women's prison: Officer hospitalized

Avellino – Tensions within the Avellino prison have reached a new breaking point. Yesterday early afternoon, the women's ward of the Irpinia prison was the scene of hours of extreme drama, culminating in the injury of a prison officer, who required hospitalization.

From flames to attack: the facts

According to initial reports, the alarm was raised inside a prison cell when an inmate with obvious psychiatric problems set fire to her mattress. Within minutes, thick, toxic smoke filled the unit.

During the rapid response to extinguish the fire, a female officer on duty suffered a severe illness from smoke inhalation. But the situation escalated shortly thereafter: in an attempt to restore calm and secure the unit, the inmate violently attacked the responding officers.

The policewoman, already weakened by the fumes, was the one who fared the worst: after receiving initial treatment in the prison infirmary, the officer was rushed to the emergency room of the "Moscati" Hospital in Avellino, where doctors diagnosed her with injuries that would heal in five days.

The unions' cry of alarm

The incident has reignited protests from trade unions, which have long been at war over the management of the prison.

"We are facing yet another episode that demonstrates how delicate and compromised the situation is," denounces Fabio Ciampi, delegate of the UIL FP Penitentiary Police. "Staff are faced with extreme emergencies every day, often with severe staff shortages and in unsustainable operating conditions."

The issue of mental health behind bars

Raffaele Troise, head of the UIL FP Penitentiary Police, also spoke out on the issue, pointing out the complex management of psychiatric disorders within prison walls.

"We cannot continue to treat these events as isolated cases," Troise urges. "We need tools, specialized personnel, and adequate operational protocols. The Penitentiary Police cannot and must not be left alone to manage emergencies that require a primarily medical approach. When mental health issues lead to fires and assaults, it becomes clear that the entire system must be overhauled to protect both officers and inmates themselves."

In extending best wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured police officer, the union hopes that this latest serious news story will serve as a final wake-up call to prison administration leaders, so that concrete measures to ensure safety can be implemented as soon as possible.