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| Honduras prison fire: Porfirio Lobo vows full inquiry | Honduras prison fire: Porfirio Lobo vows full inquiry |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Honduras President Porfirio Lobo has pledged a "full and transparent" investigation after a fire at a jail killed more than 350 inmates. | Honduras President Porfirio Lobo has pledged a "full and transparent" investigation after a fire at a jail killed more than 350 inmates. |
| Mr Lobo also suspended local and national prison officials while the inquiry into the "unacceptable" tragedy at the jail in Comayagua was conducted. | Mr Lobo also suspended local and national prison officials while the inquiry into the "unacceptable" tragedy at the jail in Comayagua was conducted. |
| Many victims were burned or suffocated to death in their cells. | Many victims were burned or suffocated to death in their cells. |
| Human Rights Watch said the disaster was ultimately the result of chronic overcrowding in Honduran jails. | Human Rights Watch said the disaster was ultimately the result of chronic overcrowding in Honduran jails. |
| It also blamed poor conditions and called for the prison system to be overhauled. | It also blamed poor conditions and called for the prison system to be overhauled. |
| "Given that Honduras has one of the highest homicide rates in the world, authorities have been locking up convicted and suspected criminals, but failing to address the conditions in which they are being held," said Jose Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch. | "Given that Honduras has one of the highest homicide rates in the world, authorities have been locking up convicted and suspected criminals, but failing to address the conditions in which they are being held," said Jose Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch. |
| The authorities are trying to establish whether the blaze in the overcrowded prison was started deliberately by an inmate or was caused by an electrical fault. | The authorities are trying to establish whether the blaze in the overcrowded prison was started deliberately by an inmate or was caused by an electrical fault. |
| Almost 24 hours since the fire broke out, the situation is still one of complete chaos. Bodybag after bodybag is being produced from inside the prison. The remaining prisoners are being taken away at gunpoint. | Almost 24 hours since the fire broke out, the situation is still one of complete chaos. Bodybag after bodybag is being produced from inside the prison. The remaining prisoners are being taken away at gunpoint. |
| Outside the prison gates, there is still a very large group of the prisoners' family members, who are extremely scared about what will happen to their fathers, brothers and sons. They complain they're getting absolutely no information from the authorities. | Outside the prison gates, there is still a very large group of the prisoners' family members, who are extremely scared about what will happen to their fathers, brothers and sons. They complain they're getting absolutely no information from the authorities. |
| We've now spoken to two government ministers on site here, and they've given us conflicting stories. One said the fire was definitely deliberately started, by an inmate setting fire to his mattress, while the other said it could still be down to an electrical fault. It's still going to take a long, long time before they get to the bottom of what happened here. | |
| Desperate for news, relatives and friends of prisoners later clashed with police as they tried to force their way into the prison compound. | Desperate for news, relatives and friends of prisoners later clashed with police as they tried to force their way into the prison compound. |
| Police responded by firing warning shots and tear gas to disperse the crowd. | Police responded by firing warning shots and tear gas to disperse the crowd. |
| 'We will all die here!" | 'We will all die here!" |
| Mr Lobo promised to "find those responsible" for the disaster. | Mr Lobo promised to "find those responsible" for the disaster. |
| "It will be an independent investigation monitored by international observers," the president said. | "It will be an independent investigation monitored by international observers," the president said. |
| The fire in Comayagua, about 100km (60 miles) north of the capital Tegucigalpa, broke out late on Tuesday night and took more than an hour to be brought under control. | The fire in Comayagua, about 100km (60 miles) north of the capital Tegucigalpa, broke out late on Tuesday night and took more than an hour to be brought under control. |
| Dozens of prisoners were trapped in their cells and were burned beyond recognition. | Dozens of prisoners were 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. |
| One prisoner, who managed to escape, later told reporters that he first had heard "the screams of the [inmates] on fire and everyone just started fearing for their lives". | One prisoner, who managed to escape, later told reporters that he first had heard "the screams of the [inmates] on fire and everyone just started fearing for their lives". |
| "The only thing that we were able to do was start breaking the roof apart so we could go out from above. We started ripping apart the ceiling above us." | "The only thing that we were able to do was start breaking the roof apart so we could go out from above. We started ripping apart the ceiling above us." |
| Other survivors told investigators that one of the inmates started the fire by lighting fire to his bedding. They said he screamed "We will all die here!" | Other survivors told investigators that one of the inmates started the fire by lighting fire to his bedding. They said he screamed "We will all die here!" |
| Prison service head Daniel Orellana confirmed that the investigators were looking into this version of events. | Prison service head Daniel Orellana confirmed that the investigators were looking into this version of events. |
| "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. |
| 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. |
| 'Shots fired' | 'Shots fired' |
| Lucy Marder, who heads the forensic services in Comayagua, said that 356 people on the prison roster were unaccounted for on Wednesday. | Lucy Marder, who heads the forensic services in Comayagua, said that 356 people on the prison roster were unaccounted for on Wednesday. |
| "The majority could be dead, though others could have suffered burns, escaped or survived," Ms Marder said. | "The majority could be dead, though others could have suffered burns, escaped or survived," Ms Marder said. |
| It was feared many inmates had fled. | It was feared many inmates had fled. |
| Amid the confusion, relatives gathered outside the prison to try to get information. | 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. |
| 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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