Capricornia Correctional Centre prisoners sent to hospital for petrol inhalation in riots aftermath

Multiple Capricornia Correctional Centre inmates were taken to hospital the day after a 16-hour long standoff at the Rockhampton prison, for treatment of serious effects of petrol misuse.

The chaos of a 16-hour siege at Capricornia Correctional Centre on Thursday continued late into Friday with multiple prisoners taken to hospital for treatment of petrol injection, inhalation and ingestion.

Queensland Corrective Services (QCS) was unable to confirm how many inmates were taken to hospital on Friday, but just said “a number of prisoners”.

This publication was told up to 10 prisoners were taken to Rockhampton Hospital suffering the effects of petrol misuse - including injecting it into their bodies with needles.

It is understood the prisoners were from the high security units, where criminals who commit the worst crimes are incarcerated.

There were concerns about security at the hospital, given the seriousness of the prisoners’ crimes.

“A number of prisoners were transported to hospital on Friday and were managed in accordance with our processes and security protocols,” QCS advised.

“They all returned to the centre the same day.”

Rockhampton Hospital, Queensland Ambulance Service and Queensland Police Service were also unable to confirm further details of the incident.

Late on Thursday night, the statement ‘low on fuel’ was heard coming over a megaphone, believed to be held by an unruly prisoner, by a reporter from The Morning Bulletin.

Other statements and demands that were heard included “what about a shower, what about a tv”, and “you dumb f---head”.

It was later confirmed prisoners gained access to a garden shed and took jerry cans of petrol onto the roof with them.

It was reported at 6pm, 60 prisoners were staked out on the roof of the activities building where they were cornered by prison staff.

By 8pm, prisoners were gradually surrendering and there were only 40 left on the roof.

The last group of nine prisoners came down around 2.30am.

While on the roof, the prisoners were confirmed to be chroming; the act of sniffing petrol.

Two prisoners with insignificant injuries were taken to hospital on the Thursday during the riots.  

One of the prisoners hospitalised fell off the roof, as he reportedly “sniffed too much”.