81 People Killed In Fire At Chile Prison

Chilean officials say at least 81 people died in a fire at a prison near Santiago. The blaze broke out in one of the towers of the San Miguel prison around 5:48 a.m. local time after inmates began burning mattresses during a riot. The cause of the riot is unclear.

Health Minister Jaime Manalich told reporters 18 people were injured. Four of them are rescuers. “This is a terrible tragedy,” he said.

Authorities expect the death toll to rise as many of the injured suffered serious burns and are in critical condition.

Families of San Miguel inmates began gathering outside the prison trying to find out information on those who died. A list of the victims will be released to the families later Wednesday. Prison officials plan to meet with the families of the deceased separately. “We want to provide true and reliable information, considering the seriousness of the situation,” said Manalich.

The prison was only supposed to house 1,100 inmates, but it currently holds 1,961. The fire department is investigating the fire.

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