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| Honduras prison fire 'leaves at least 272 dead' | Honduras prison fire 'leaves at least 272 dead' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A massive fire has swept through a jail in Honduras, killing at least 272 prisoners, officials say. | A massive fire has swept through a jail in Honduras, killing at least 272 prisoners, officials say. |
| Many of the victims were burned or suffocated to death in their cells at the jail in Comayagua, in central Honduras. | Many of the victims were burned or suffocated to death in their cells at the jail in Comayagua, in central Honduras. |
| Families flocked to the site, desperate for news. Some prisoners escaped the blaze by breaking through the roof to jump from the building, they said. | Families flocked to the site, desperate for news. Some prisoners escaped the blaze by breaking through the roof to jump from the building, they said. |
| Officials are investigating whether an electrical fault caused the blaze. | Officials are investigating whether an electrical fault caused the blaze. |
| The fire broke out late on Tuesday night and took more than an hour to be brought under control. | The fire broke out late on Tuesday night and took more than an hour to be brought under control. |
| Dozens of prisoners died trapped in their cells and were burned beyond recognition. | Dozens of prisoners died trapped in their cells and were burned beyond recognition. |
| Comayagua firefighters' spokesman Josue Garcia said there were "hellish" scenes at the prison and that desperate inmates had rioted in a bid to escape the flames. | Comayagua firefighters' spokesman Josue Garcia said there were "hellish" scenes at the prison and that desperate inmates had rioted in a bid to escape the flames. |
| "We couldn't get them out because we didn't have the keys and couldn't find the guards who had them," he said. | "We couldn't get them out because we didn't have the keys and couldn't find the guards who had them," he said. |
| Confusion | |
| Lucy Marder, who heads the forensic services in Comayagua, said that reports indicated at least 272 people had been killed. | |
| She later said that 356 people on the prison roster were unaccounted for. | |
| "The majority could be dead, though others could have suffered burns, escaped or survived," Ms Marder said. | |
| The prison in Comayagua, some 100km (60 miles) north of the capital, Tegucigalpa, was holding more than 800 inmates. | The prison in Comayagua, some 100km (60 miles) north of the capital, Tegucigalpa, was holding more than 800 inmates. |
| It was feared many of them had fled in the chaos, officials said. | It was feared many of them had fled in the chaos, officials said. |
| Amid the confusion, relatives gathered outside the prison to try to get information. | |
| "I'm looking for my brother. We don't know what's happened to him and they won't let us in," Arlen Gomez told Honduran radio. | "I'm looking for my brother. We don't know what's happened to him and they won't let us in," Arlen Gomez told Honduran radio. |
| Local hospitals are treating dozens of people for burns and other injuries. | Local hospitals are treating dozens of people for burns and other injuries. |
| Some of the injured have been taken to Tegucigalpa for treatment, among them 30 people with severe burns. | Some of the injured have been taken to Tegucigalpa for treatment, among them 30 people with severe burns. |
| Firefighters said they had struggled to enter the prison because shots had been fired. | Firefighters said they had struggled to enter the prison because shots had been fired. |
| Honduran media reported that there had been a riot in the prison before the fire broke out. | Honduran media reported that there had been a riot in the prison before the fire broke out. |
| Prison service head Daniel Orellana denied this. | Prison service head Daniel Orellana denied this. |
| "We have two hypotheses. One is that a prisoner set fire to a mattress and the other one is that there was a short-circuit in the electrical system," he was quoted as saying by Reuters. | "We have two hypotheses. One is that a prisoner set fire to a mattress and the other one is that there was a short-circuit in the electrical system," he was quoted as saying by Reuters. |
| Prisons in Honduras, which has the world's highest murder rate, are often seriously overcrowded and hold many gang members. | Prisons in Honduras, which has the world's highest murder rate, are often seriously overcrowded and hold many gang members. |
| Are you in Honduras? Have you been affected by the fire? Please send us your comments using the form below | Are you in Honduras? Have you been affected by the fire? Please send us your comments using the form below |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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