News Releases

Prairies Region

News Release

Communiqué

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

INNISFAIL, AB, December 7, 2007 - A fire broke out in the paint shop of the CORCAN operation at Bowden Institution at about 1:45 p.m. local time. The fire was confined to a small area behind one of the paint booths in the industrial shop area. No injuries to staff or inmates resulted from the fire. Everyone is safe and accounted for.

The shop is located away from living units. No major disruption to the operations of the institution resulted from the fire. No medical issues were identified.

The fire was extinguished by crews from the Red Deer County Fire Department - specifically the Towns of Innisfail and Bowden. Firefighters arrived on the scene within 15 minutes. The fire was extinguished shortly afterward.

The cause of the fire and the damage to the building are currently being assessed. The fire will also be the focus of a review by the Correctional Service of Canada.

Bowden Institution is a federal penitentiary located 100 km north of Calgary, currently accommodating 600 medium security and 67 minimum security inmates.

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For more information, media representatives may contact:

Rita Wehrle
Assistant Warden
Bowden Institution
Correctional Service of Canada
(403) 227-7346