49 inmates die in hearth throughout Colombian jail riots in Tuala

A fireplace throughout a jail riot in southwestern Colombia has killed over 50 folks in one of many worst incidents of its type within the nation in latest reminiscence.

The director of the nationwide jail system, Tito Castellanos, mentioned the hearth began after inmates at a Tuluá jail set hearth to some mattresses, beginning an uncontrollable hearth.

He mentioned the prisoners needed to cease the guards from dispersing the riot however hadn’t thought concerning the “influence of how it could have an effect on them”.

“It’s a tragic and catastrophic occasion,” he mentioned.

“There was a state of affairs, apparently a riot, and the prisoners set hearth to some mattresses and a conflagration ensued which sadly resulted within the deaths of 49 prisoners.”

The loss of life toll was later up to date to 51.

One other 30 folks had been injured within the blaze, Castellanos mentioned, and dozens extra had been evacuated.

He additionally mentioned it’s not presently clear if all of those that died within the hearth had been prisoners.

The jail has 1,267 inmates and the cell block the place the hearth occurred homes 180.

In accordance with official figures, the prisons in Colombia are severely overcrowded with a capability of 81,000 folks however about 97,000 lodging.

President Iván Duque, who’s visiting Portugal, tweeted that the incident was being investigated.

“We deplore the occasions at Tuluá jail, Valle del Cauca. I’m involved with Castellanos and have given directions to proceed investigations that can permit us to resolve this horrible state of affairs,” he wrote.

Some prisoners in Colombia have been launched throughout the coronavirus pandemic after greater than 20 inmates had been killed in 2020 protests over overcrowded situations and an absence of well being providers.

President-elect Gustav Petro, who will take workplace in August after turning into Colombia’s first left-wing chief in over a century, tweeted that jail violence is “the entire reimagining of jail politics in the direction of a humanization of jail and human dignity.” requires prisoner’.

In the meantime, tons of have died in prisons in neighboring Ecuador over the previous 12 months in what the federal government says is the results of violence between native drug gangs it has thus far been unable to quell.

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