Three youths charged with arson after fire at Ashley Youth Detention Centre in northern Tasmania
The Tasmania Fire Service attended the youth detention centre. (ABC News: Ashleigh Barraclough)
In short:
Police were called to Tasmania's only youth detention centre on Sunday following a reported disturbance involving three armed detainees.
Police said while they were there, the youths set fire to a building, causing extensive damage.
What's next?
All three have been charged with arson and destroying property and are being held in the centre while they await court.
Three young people have been charged with arson and destroying property following a fire at the Ashley Youth Detention Centre in Tasmania's north.
Police and emergency services were called to the facility at Deloraine about 3pm on Sunday, following a report of a disturbance involving three armed detainees.
Tasmania Police said while officers were attending, the young people set fire to a building.
Firefighters said the youth detention centre was extensively damaged in the incident. (ABC News: Luke Bowden)
Police arrested the youths, two 16-year-olds and a 15-year-old, and took them to the Launceston Police Station.
After the charges were laid, they were returned to the centre ahead of a court appearance today.
Police said no-one was injured in the incident but the building was extensively damaged.
A Tasmania Fire Service fire investigator and Tasmania Police forensic officers attended the scene on Monday as investigations continued.
Staff morale at all-time low
Tasmania state secretary for the Health and Community Service Union (HACSU) Robbie Moore told ABC Drive that staff morale was at an all-time low.
"The incident over the weekend has just added to that," Mr Moore said.
"It was obviously a very dangerous situation for staff and for everyone involved.
"It comes on the back of what has been a really bad few years for the staff at Ashley as well as for the young people."
Robbie Moore says staff are still waiting to hear about the transition to new facilities at Pontville, on Hobart's northern outskirts. (ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke)
He said incidents such as this could be traumatic for staff, and a thorough investigation was needed.
"We see high levels of workers' compensation and sick leave at Ashley Youth Detention … and an incident like this is a really traumatic incident," he said.
The Ashley Youth Detention Centre is slated for closure in early 2028 once a replacement facility has been built.
Mr Moore said staff still had very little detail about the transition to the new facility in southern Tasmania.
Police were called to the site following reports three armed detainees had set fire to part of the building. (ABC News: Luke Bowden)
The state government has said the new facility, to be located at Pontville north of Hobart, would follow a "therapeutic youth justice model".
Ashley was a focus of Tasmania's Commission of Inquiry into Government Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings in 2022, which recommended the centre be closed as soon as possible.