Investigation underway after reports of carbon monoxide poisoning at Barwon Prison

High risk jailbirds from Barwon Prison have been moved after a gas leak on Monday night, with the affected Olearia unit closed down and WorkSafe set to investigate in coming days.

Emergency crews were called to Barwon Prison on Monday. Picture: Mark Stewart

High risk jailbirds from Barwon Prison have been moved after a gas leak on Monday night, with the affected Olearia unit closed down and WorkSafe set to investigate in coming days.

A notice from the Community and Public Sector Union Victorian branch secretary Karen Batt to prison staff on Tuesday — seen by the Herald Sun — states the Security and Emergency Services Group (SESG) attended the unit where the exposure occurred and Ambulance Victoria and Fire Rescue Victoria were also called to respond.

“In light of this exposure and with concerns escalating, our CPSU organisers demanded the immediate closure of the affected unit and the relocation of those prisoners,” Ms Batt said.

“After sustained pressure and close co-ordination with staff on the ground, management ultimately agreed to shut down the unit and relocate all prisoners.

“Prisoners have since been moved to other areas within Barwon Prison and into a unit at Western Plains Correctional Centre.”

Until the source of the gas leak was identified and resolved, the unit had been deemed unsafe to enter, she said.

The incident led to four fire trucks attending and the prison being placed into lockdown. Picture: Jason Edwards

A union spokesman told the Herald Sun the prisoners in the affected unit were “high risk and high maintenance”.

The Olearia high security unit of the jail, near Geelong, is regarded as a self-contained “prison within a prison”, where some of the most dangerous inmates in the system are separated from the rest of the behind-bars population.

WorkSafe was expected to investigate the suspected gas leak on Thursday or Friday of this week, the union spokesman said.

Monday’s gas leak was the second incident in less than a week involving suspected carbon monoxide poisoning at the prison, with three staff members hospitalised last Thursday night.

And Barwon Prison was in lockdown on Monday night as emergency crews responded to the latest suspected carbon monoxide leak.

Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene about 7.25pm after several prison staff reported feeling unwell.

Investigations found eight staff members were exposed to low levels of carbon monoxide.

The low level reading was recorded in an office and a control room at the maximum security men’s prison.

Ambulance Victoria paramedics treated the workers at the prison.

Four fire trucks were sent to the jail, including crews with specialist hazmat gear.

Originally published as Investigation underway after reports of carbon monoxide poisoning at Barwon Prison