News / World
Prison Fire in Brazil Kills 25
A gang feud in a Brazilian prison resulted in at least 25 deaths after one gang intentionally set a fire as retaliation for previous run-ins.
The fire occurred shortly after a group of inmates broke out of their cell block then set several mattresses ablaze, leaving those prisoners locked in their cells at the mercy of the flames.
Brazilian prisons have often been noted for their overcrowding and gang related violence and the fire on Thursday combined the two problems. With a capacity of 87 the Ponte Nova prison, located in the south-central Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, was holding 187 inmates, many tied to rival gangs.
Officials were able to extinguish the blaze Thursday morning but the initial count of 25 dead could rise by the time the final count is released.
