A deliberately lit cell fire at Risdon Prison which saw staff and inmates hospitalised has caused a political brawl.
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The Department of Justice confirmed that the Tasmania Fire Service responded to a cell fire in the medium security unit at Risdon Prison on Tuesday afternoon.
A department spokesman said two inmates and two staff members were taken to the Royal Hobart Hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation.
"The incident is now under active investigation and it would be inappropriate to speculate on the cause or circumstances of the incident until fully investigated," he said.
Labor's corrections spokeswoman Ella Haddad said Corrections Minister Elise Archer needed to meet staff to hear first-hand about problems at the prison.
"The prison system is broken and under extreme pressure and staff and inmates are at risk," Ms Haddad said.
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Prisoners were in and out of lock-down for up to four days before setting on fire a cell block in the medium security unit.
"We call on Elise Archer to undertake a complete safety audit of the prison, including ensuring that appropriate safety equipment is available to deal with situations like this week's fire."
Ms Archer said Labor's response to the cell fire excused "the appalling behaviour of prisoners who put others and themselves at risk".
"Labor's soft on crime record speaks for itself - when in government they failed to deliver additional correction officers, under-invested in prison infrastructure and shut down Hayes Prison Farm," Ms Archer said.
"Unlike Labor, we are delivering $350 million worth of prison infrastructure investment to modernise facilities and address future capacity requirements for staff and prisoners, and by middle of this year we will have recruited almost 200 new Correctional Officers since May 2016.
"We will continue to deliver this significant investment in the infrastructure and resources required to support Tasmania's corrections system.
Staff at Risdon have taken industrial action to highlight their grievances.
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