A small fire in a cell at the Brickdam Police station was quickly doused by a prisoner on Sunday morning and the man has told investigators that he accidentally started the fire.

The prisoner, Stephan Howard told investigators that he found a lighter and toilet paper in a cell at the Brickdam lock ups, and decided to set fire to the toilet tissue to scare off mosquitoes that were biting him early in the morning.

The paper reportedly fell onto a mattress inside the cell, but the prisoner said he quickly put the fire out using a bottle of water that was also inside the prison cell.

The man has refused to submit a written statement to the Police and has also refused a video interview. He said the Police should do their work.

Two years ago, majority of the Brickdam Police station was gutted by fire, and the Police blamed that fire on an inmate, who they said started the fire from his prison cell. That man who has since been charged, has always denied the allegations.

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