Almost 40 prisoners collapsed in just 24 hours and one was rushed to hospital after a batch of drugs were snuck in through security.
A batch of fentanyl mixed with spice was brought into Deerbolt prison in Durham.
More than 10 per cent of the jail’s population then became unwell, with one having to be rushed to hospital.
The prison was placed on a two-day lockdown last month, The Sun reports.
A source said: ‘A prisoner was found collapsed in his cell, which was when the alarm was raised.
‘He was rushed to hospital, where they saved him. But he was in such a bad way that “death in custody” paperwork was prepared in case the worst happened.’
Others then began to collapse, and a total of 38 cases were recorded.
The source added: ‘No one has ever known an outbreak of illness as big as this.’
The majority of the prisoners in Deerbolt are under the age of 21.
An inspection report found more than one in four had substance abuse problems.
The Prison Service said: ‘The new Government inherited a prison system in crisis and is determined to tackle supply and demand for drugs in our jails.’
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