Campsfield House Fire: Latest

19 October 2013, 12:01

The Home Office have told Heart a detainee at the Campsfield House Detention centre has been taken to hospital following a large fire at the site at Kidlington near Oxford.

Ten fire engines were called to the immigration removal centre near Oxford, at 9pm last night.

Speaking to Heart this morning a Home Office spokesman says around half the detainees at the site are being relocated to other centres because of damage to the building, with the remaining moved to other blocks within the site.

The centre is privately run by MITIE and has space for 216 beds.

Campsfield House is a long-term centre for men, who are detained pending the outcome of their immigration case and subsequent removal.

So far, MITIE have not responded to Heart's requests for more information.

Speaking to the Independent research group Corporate Watch UK's Phil Miller, one detainee identified as "Marco" told the group: "It was about 9 o'clock. They evacuated us to the yard and just left us there. 

They didn't really tell us what was going on.

Their main concern seemed to be that if anyone had escaped."

UPDATE at 1004

Latest statement from the Home Office: "A fire at Campsfield immigration removal centre has led to more than half of the detainees being relocated to other removal centres around the UK. All the detainees have been accounted for and two male detainees are now in hospital. The cause of the fire is being investigated by police and the fire service.”

UPDATE at 1204

Throughout the morning minibuses with blacked-out windows have been coming and going at the site.

A team of fire investigators from Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service arrived at the centre at about 11.20am, as experts piece together the cause of the blaze.