The Government will review them entry and exit protocols of the intensive education residential center –I BELIEVE– of Santa Coloma after thefire which originated in a room during the Saint John’s night. The incident occurred when a warded minor entered the center with a small lighterwhich he would have hidden, and set fire to papers inside the room.
As explained by the Minister of Social Affairs, Trini Marínthe users of the I BELIEVE they can leave the center at certain times and, when they return, they are searched according to established protocols. In this case, the procedure was applied, but the igniter was not detected. For this reason, it is now ravoiding the mechanics of these controls to prevent a similar situation from happening again.
The fire was confined to the room and did not cause injuries or intoxication. Despite the scare, Marin emphasized that the action protocol worked correctly, since the preventive evacuation was activated, the emergency services and quick action was taken to control the situation.
The Government pointed out that it was a one-time event and that an incident of this nature had never occurred at the center. However, he considered it necessary to review the security proceduresespecially regarding the return controls of minors after authorized departures.
Marin he also insisted that the I BELIEVE it welcomes minors under guardianship that they receive educational, psychological and social support until the age of 18. Some study and others work, always with the supervision of educators and center professionals. From the Government they defended that this support is essential, despite the fact that they can occur specific situations of conflict or indiscipline.
Following the incident, the center’s team and the Children’s department they were in touch from the first moment. It will now be parsed if necessary strengthen controls or introduce stricter measures at inputs and outputstaking into account that cameras cannot be installed inside the rooms and that a balance must be maintained between security, educational monitoring and the rights of minors.
