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Video of deadly fire at Mexico migrant centre causes outrage Video of deadly fire at Mexico migrant centre causes outrage
(about 2 hours later)
The video appears to show uniformed staff failing to open a locked door as the fire startsThe video appears to show uniformed staff failing to open a locked door as the fire starts
Outrage is growing in Mexico following a fire at a migrant centre in Ciudad Juárez that killed 38 migrants.Outrage is growing in Mexico following a fire at a migrant centre in Ciudad Juárez that killed 38 migrants.
Unverified footage has emerged, which appears to show the moment the fire started at the centre run by Mexico's National Migration Institute (INE). Footage has emerged which shows the moment the fire started at the centre run by Mexico's National Migration Institute (INM).
Uniformed officials seem to walk away as the blaze erupts in a corner, leaving a group of men behind in what appears to be a locked cell.Uniformed officials seem to walk away as the blaze erupts in a corner, leaving a group of men behind in what appears to be a locked cell.
The men unsuccessfully try to open the barred door as smoke quickly spreads.The men unsuccessfully try to open the barred door as smoke quickly spreads.
The 32-second clip appears to come from a security camera inside the facility, which is located just south of the border crossing at the Stanton-Lerdo bridge, which links Ciudad Juárez with the city of El Paso in Texas. The BBC verified the footage by reverse searching the thumbnail and seven frames from the 32-second video and found no copy of it before Tuesday evening, indicating the footage is recent.
The BBC has reverse searched the thumbnail and seven frames from the video and found no copy of it previous to Tuesday evening, indicating that the footage is recent. It also spoke to Alejandra Corona, a co-ordinator for the Jesuit Refugee Service in Ciudad Juárez, who visits the facility weekly.
Mexico's interior minister did not deny the video's provenance when asked about the footage by a Mexican journalist. She said the view seen on the video was consistent with the location of a security camera at the entrance to the men's detention area.
The minister, Adán Augusto López, said the government had had access to the video shortly after the fire but he did not comment about it any further. Ms Corona explained that the migrant centre - located just south of the bridge which links Ciudad Juárez with the city of El Paso in Texas - houses offices where migrants are processed, as well as areas where they can be detained.
The footage has been widely shared on Twitter and published by a number of Mexican newspapers with many people expressing their shock at what they said was a failure by the uniformed staff to act. She described the area behind bars that can be seen in the footage as "a cell".
"The door has always been locked when we have visited [this area], and even when come to speak to the migrants, they can't come out, we have to stay on the outside," she explained.
"I am not aware of an emergency exit, as far as I know the door you can see in the video is the only exit."
Ms Corona said that on her visits the cell, which usually holds between 40 and 60 men, has been watched over by a private security guard and a staff member of the INM, which squares with the two uniformed men who can be seen in the footage.
The footage has been widely shared on Twitter and published by a number of Mexican newspapers, with many people expressing shock at what they said was a failure by the uniformed staff to act.
They point to the moment at which one of the men in uniform seems to ignore a man behind the barred door, who appears to try to open it and fails as the flames spread.They point to the moment at which one of the men in uniform seems to ignore a man behind the barred door, who appears to try to open it and fails as the flames spread.
As the video has no sound it is not possible to ascertain what, if anything, was said as the fire erupted. It is also unclear what the uniformed staff are doing when not on camera.As the video has no sound it is not possible to ascertain what, if anything, was said as the fire erupted. It is also unclear what the uniformed staff are doing when not on camera.
The smoke then fills the room making it hard to make out anything beyond the glare of the flames.The smoke then fills the room making it hard to make out anything beyond the glare of the flames.
The footage appears to back up the account of the wife of a Venezuelan migrant who survived the fire.The footage appears to back up the account of the wife of a Venezuelan migrant who survived the fire.
Viangly Infante Padrón's husband was inside the facility when the fire broke out. He has survivedViangly Infante Padrón's husband was inside the facility when the fire broke out. He has survived
Viangly Infante Padrón told reporters that officers had left her husband and the other male migrants "behind locked bars" as they fled.Viangly Infante Padrón told reporters that officers had left her husband and the other male migrants "behind locked bars" as they fled.
"There was smoke everywhere. They let the women out and the migration staff, but it wasn't until the firefighters arrived that they let the men out," she told Associated Press news agency."There was smoke everywhere. They let the women out and the migration staff, but it wasn't until the firefighters arrived that they let the men out," she told Associated Press news agency.
She also said that the men had been protesting because they had not been given any water while in custody.She also said that the men had been protesting because they had not been given any water while in custody.
On Monday, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador had said that the migrants had set mattresses alight "when they learned that they'd be deported". On Monday, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrado said the migrants set mattresses alight "when they learned that they'd be deported".
On Tuesday, he said a thorough investigation would be carried out and vowed there would be "no impunity and no one will be protected".On Tuesday, he said a thorough investigation would be carried out and vowed there would be "no impunity and no one will be protected".
Mexican officials say 68 migrants were being held in a section reserved for adult males in the facility. The majority were from Guatemala with the others hailing from Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras and Venezuela. Mexican officials say a total of 68 men were in the facility at the time of the blaze. The majority were from Guatemala with the others from Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras and Venezuela.
Mexican officials have released the name of all 68 men who were at the site when the blaze broke out but have not yet provided clarification as to which of them are dead and which have survived. Mexican officials have released the names of all the men but have not yet provided clarification as to which of them are dead and which have survived.
INM Commissioner Francisco Garduno visited some of the injured migrants in hospitalINM Commissioner Francisco Garduno visited some of the injured migrants in hospital
They also revised the number of dead down from 40 to 38, while 28 are reported to be seriously injured and suffering from smoke inhalation.They also revised the number of dead down from 40 to 38, while 28 are reported to be seriously injured and suffering from smoke inhalation.
Distraught relatives have complained about not being given enough information about the fate and whereabouts of their loved ones.Distraught relatives have complained about not being given enough information about the fate and whereabouts of their loved ones.
They also queried why the men were being held in the first place. Mexican officials said they had been picked up on the streets of Ciudad Juárez on Monday and taken to the migration centre. Even an updated list of casualties still contained erroneous information, further heightening the anxiety among those waiting for news, Ms Corona of the Jesuit Refugee Service said.
Their relatives said the men had been trying to earn some money by selling sweets and washing windscreens at street corners. The relatives also queried why the men had been locked up in the first place.
The government of El Salvador has condemned what it described as "the very serious actions of the personnel of the migration station (...) during the fire that left dozens of people of different nationalities dead, including several Salvadoreans". Ms Corona told the BBC that raids to detain migrants had become more frequent in Ciudad Juárez. "Anyone who enters Mexico in an irregular way can face arrest."
The Salvadorean government has demanded that those responsible be brought to justice. She added it was important to note that that did not mean that those held at the facility had committed any crime.
Mexico's Foreign Minister, Marcelo Ebrard, said on Tuesday that "those directly responsible for the fire" had been turned over to investigators, without specifying who those individuals are. "Their relatives told us that some had been detained upon landing at the airport, others at the bus terminal and yet others on the streets of the city," Ms Corona explained.
The fire comes at a time when Mexico is struggling to deal with an influx of migrants, most of whom are crossing Mexico in the hope of reaching the United States.The fire comes at a time when Mexico is struggling to deal with an influx of migrants, most of whom are crossing Mexico in the hope of reaching the United States.
Many of them have been camped out in cities on the US-Mexico border like Ciudad Juárez for weeks and sometimes months awaiting the possible lifting of a Trump-era policy which allows US border officials to deny individuals entry to the US "to prevent the spread of communicable diseases". Many of them have been camped out in cities on the US-Mexico border for weeks and sometimes months, awaiting the possible lifting of a Trump-era policy which allows US border officials to deny individuals entry to the US "to prevent the spread of communicable diseases".
The Biden Administration had moved to end the policy, which is known as Title 42, last year, but the US Supreme Court blocked the move at the end of December and it currently remains in place. The Biden Administration had moved to end the policy, which is known as Title 42, last year, but the US Supreme Court blocked the move at the end of December and it remains in place.
However, many migrants from Central and South America, as well as from as far afield as Africa, continue to embark on long treks to the US-Mexico border in the hope of the restrictions being lifted in the coming months. However, many migrants from Central and South America, as well as from as far afield as Africa, continue to embark on long treks to the US-Mexico border in the hope of the restrictions being lifted.
Related TopicsRelated Topics
Mexico–US borderMexico–US border
MexicoMexico
MigrationMigration