<p>Prison authorities launched an investigation into the day-long rampage involving around 40 inmates which started early yesterday at Ford open prison near Arundel in southeast England.<br /><br />Several buildings were burned to the ground and police in body armour and firefighters had to be called in. TV pictures showed flames leaping from several buildings at the 1960s-era prison.<br /><br />Michael Spurr, chief executive officer of the National Offender Management Service, said the disturbance was "successfully resolved by specially trained prison staff" at 2200 GMT on Saturday.<br /><br />"A high level investigation will commence immediately to ascertain the causes and circumstances surrounding the incident and those involved may be liable to criminal charges," he said.<br /><br />Spurr said staffing levels at the jail were appropriate despite reports that there were only two prison officers and four support staff on duty to manage a population of around 500 prisoners.<br /><br />Prisons Minister Crispin Blunt said 150 prisoners had been moved to closed conditions following the violence.<br /><br />The Prison Officers' Association said the riots started after staff tried to breathalyse some of the 200 prisoners amid fears contraband alcohol had been smuggled into the jail.<br /><br />A Ministry of Justice spokesman said no prisoners or staff were believed to have been injured in the riot.<br /><br />The prison houses inmates with less than two years of their sentence left to serve.<br />In November, more than 250 inmates at a British prison for young offenders had to be moved to other jails after three nights of rioting. <br /><br /><br /></p>
<p>Prison authorities launched an investigation into the day-long rampage involving around 40 inmates which started early yesterday at Ford open prison near Arundel in southeast England.<br /><br />Several buildings were burned to the ground and police in body armour and firefighters had to be called in. TV pictures showed flames leaping from several buildings at the 1960s-era prison.<br /><br />Michael Spurr, chief executive officer of the National Offender Management Service, said the disturbance was "successfully resolved by specially trained prison staff" at 2200 GMT on Saturday.<br /><br />"A high level investigation will commence immediately to ascertain the causes and circumstances surrounding the incident and those involved may be liable to criminal charges," he said.<br /><br />Spurr said staffing levels at the jail were appropriate despite reports that there were only two prison officers and four support staff on duty to manage a population of around 500 prisoners.<br /><br />Prisons Minister Crispin Blunt said 150 prisoners had been moved to closed conditions following the violence.<br /><br />The Prison Officers' Association said the riots started after staff tried to breathalyse some of the 200 prisoners amid fears contraband alcohol had been smuggled into the jail.<br /><br />A Ministry of Justice spokesman said no prisoners or staff were believed to have been injured in the riot.<br /><br />The prison houses inmates with less than two years of their sentence left to serve.<br />In November, more than 250 inmates at a British prison for young offenders had to be moved to other jails after three nights of rioting. <br /><br /><br /></p>