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Dozens feared dead at migrant detention site on Mexican border At least 39 killed at migrant detention site on Mexican-US border
(about 5 hours later)
A fire broke out at a facility in the city of Juarez, according to media reports A blaze swept through a facility in Ciudad Juarez, a key transit point for people seeking to cross into the US
Dozens of people are feared dead after a blaze erupted at a detention facility for immigrants in the Mexican city of Juarez, on the border with the US, various outlets have reported. A fire that erupted on Monday evening at a detention facility for migrants in Ciudad Juarez, a large Mexican city on the border with the US, has claimed at least 39 lives and left 29 people seriously injured, Mexican authorities have confirmed.
The blaze broke out at a site run by Mexico’s National Migration Institute (INM), which is located right next to the Stanton-Lerdo International Bridge, which connects Juarez to El Paso, Texas. The blaze broke out at a site run by Mexico’s National Migration Institute (INM), which is located right next to a bridge that connects the city to El Paso, Texas. The agency said 68 adult men were housed at the site at the time when the fire broke out.
The local newspaper Excelsior said the death toll may be anywhere between 25 and 35, with up to 100 injured by smoke inhalation and other hazards. Prior to the official confirmation, local media had reported 37 deaths at the facility and two additional fatalities in hospitals, as two patients succumbed to their injuries.
Telemundo’s branch in El Paso cited an INM official as confirming 37 deaths at the scene, and that 27 people were taken to several hospitals in Juarez. The outlet added that two patients reportedly succumbed to their injuries. No official statement by the INM has been released at the time of writing. The INM described the victims as coming “from Central and South America” and said it was in touch with the consular authorities of the relevant nations in light of the tragedy. Mexico will conduct a thorough investigation, it pledged.
#AlMomento 🚨 | Así el interior del @INAMI_mx en Ciudad Juárez, #Chihuahua donde según los primeros reportes al menos 30 migrantes perdieron la vida tras suscitarse un incendio en el inmueble. pic.twitter.com/BDDfOKNsCu#AlMomento 🚨 | Así el interior del @INAMI_mx en Ciudad Juárez, #Chihuahua donde según los primeros reportes al menos 30 migrantes perdieron la vida tras suscitarse un incendio en el inmueble. pic.twitter.com/BDDfOKNsCu
The disaster may have started as an attempt to escape by a group of Venezuelan detainees placed at the facility recently, according to media reports. El Diario said the fire broke out in the section of the center assigned to men. It was not immediately clear if it was set intentionally or accidentally. The disaster may have started during an escape attempt by a group of Venezuelan detainees recently placed at the facility, according to media reports. The migrants were allegedly rounded up in the city over the previous days and detained at the center. It was not immediately clear if the blaze was intentional or accidental.
Ciudad Juarez, a city with over 1.5 million residents, is one of the key locations in Mexico where would-be asylum seekers and migrants flock to before attempting to cross into the US by various means.
Earlier this month, US Customs and Border Protection used barricades and troops in riot gear to stop hundreds of people who rushed across a different bridge based on a rumor that the border between Ciudad Juarez and El Paso was temporarily open.