Officials recover more than 1,000 prisoners after fire hits Antipolo jail

December 28, 2018

More than one thousand prisoners escaped after fire broke out in Antipolo City jail Thursday evening but officials said the inmates were all recovered. Antipolo City police said at 7:45 pm fire started in cell 10 due to alleged faulty electrical wiring and spread to the other cells, causing 1,471 prisoners to panic. The Bureau of Fire Protection declared the fire under control at 8:41 pm and fire out at 8:55 pm. Police said said Cesar Organo, an 84-year-old inmate who is facing rape charges, was declared dead on arrival after complaining he had difficulty breathing. Emergency response personnel failed to revive Organo as they headed to the nearest hospital. "We would like to assure the public that all of the detainees at Antipolo City Jail were locked inside their cells contrary to information of mass escape circulating on social media," said Jail Chief Inspector Xavier Solda, spokesperson of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), in a statement. BJMP said Zymon Dig, who is charged with two counts of robbery, escaped  but surrendered to the authorities Friday morning. Police said a total of 23 detainees who sustained injuries were rushed to the hospital. Eighteen were eventually escorted back to their cells while five were receiving treatment. The damaged jail cells are being repaired. Inmates of the burnt cells were transferred to the Cainta Municipal Jail and Cardona Municipal Jail for "temporary safekeeping." Cristina Eloisa Baclig/DMS