The buildings which have detectors have too few to be effective. There are no fire sprinkler systems in many of the buildings. There are no fire hoses or fire-fighting equipment in the buildings and only limited access to fire extinguishers. In the six cellblocks where prisoners are actually housed, there are no fire hoses and no fire extinguishers above the ground tier. There is no ventilation or improper ventilation in many of the sweatshop buildings causing the risk of dust explosions and the inability to evacuate smoke.
Smoke is the worst killer in a fire.
Combustible chemicals are used in many buildings as, for example, the waterproofing of guards' rain-gear performed by entrapped prisoners in the attic of the garment plant. Unprotected prisoners are required to fight dangerous fires as, for example the August 1998 fire in hundreds of tons of coal in a pole barn on the prison. Even after the unprotected prisoners struggled to extinguish it, they had to return to the smoldering heap time after time. Wood and other combustible materials are widely used in construction and furnishings in many buildings. The prison administration tries to compensate and shift blame by taking the prisoners' papers and property.