MEXICO: Prison fire kills fourteen inmates in northern town of Apodaca

Record ID: 303895

  • Title: MEXICO: Prison fire kills fourteen inmates in northern town of Apodaca
  • Date: 21st May 2011
  • Summary: NUEVO LEON, MEXICO (MAY 20, 2011) (REUTERS) JAIL SIGN READING "SOCIAL REHABILITATION CENTRE" MEDICAL FORENSICS VAN ENTERING JAIL WOMEN STANDING OUTSIDE JAIL VAN DRIVING UP JAIL DRIVEWAY ENTRANCE OF JAIL HELICOPTER FLYING ABOVE JAIL POLICEMEN AT JAIL ENTRANCE RELATIVE OF INMATE OUTSIDE JAIL ON MOBILE PHONE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RELATIVE OF INMATE, MARTHA, SAYING: "They should inform us about which inmates are injured or not. There are many people who are going to arrive and start asking for answers." SOCIAL REHABILITATION VAN LEAVING THE JAIL (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) UNCLE OF INMATE, JUAN ROSALES, SAYING: "I just asked about my relative, but they have told me entry will not be permitted until 9 a.m. I have asked for information on those that have died but they are not telling us anything. We remain calm but there are people who know nothing, nothing." PEOPLE PASSING THROUGH JAIL ENTRANCE GENERAL VIEW OF THE JAIL MORE OF PEOPLE PASSING THROUGH JAIL ENTRANCE GENERAL VIEW OF JAIL ENTRANCE
  • Embargoed: 5th June 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Mexico, Mexico
  • Country: Mexico
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
  • Reuters ID: LVA25Z19GO1RX7GM4SJYXUWXR9L0
  • Story Text: A fire in a psychiatric prison in the northern Mexican town of Apodaca killed 14 inmates on Friday (May 20).
    Local media reported that the fire may have been caused by an electric short circuit that started around 3 a.m., but authorities and police are yet to officially comment on the cause of the fire.
    "They should inform us about which inmates are injured or not. There are many people who are going to arrive and start asking for answers," said Martha, the relative of an inmate.
    Worried relatives of the inmates have been waiting outside the prison gates imploring police to tell them who had survived.
    "I just asked about my relative but they have told me entry will not be permitted until 9am. I have asked for information on those that have died but they are not telling us anything. We remain calm but there are people who know nothing, nothing," said Juan Rosales, uncle of an inmate.
    The psychiatric prison held 57 inmates in cramped conditions.
    No further injuries have been reported amongst the remaining prison population, the government of Nuevo Leon state told the media.
    Relatives of the inmates waiting outside the jail were permitted to enter the prison after 8:30 a.m.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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