Prison closed over fears of radioactive gas leak in cells | UK News [Video]

A Devon prison have been forced to shut down more than 180 cells and transfer several inmates after radioactive gas was detected.

Radon, an odourless and colourless gas that can lead to lung cancer, was found at HMP Dartmoor.

It’s thought almost 200 inmates were transferred to other prisons as a result.

The prison service has not said how many cells were shut and prisoners moved, but official figures state that the capacity of the facility fell by 184 places between November last year and February this year.

Figures also show that in the same period, 194 prisoners were moved out of the jail.

The dangerous gas was first detected in 2020 yet the Ministry of Justice have said measures to try and tackle the issue weren’t put in place until 2022.

The Labour Party, which revealed the figures this week in a series of questions to ministers, said it was ‘shocking …