Fire engulfed a prison in the Chilean capital early today, killing 83 inmates and critically injuring 14 others, prison officials said.
Officials said the fire was triggered during an early-morning fight between inmates in one of the crowded prison's five towers. Television footage showed part of the San Miguel prison in flames, black smoke billowing from the building.
Frantic relatives of the inmates flooded to the jail's walls, screaming and imploring police to let them in to rescue their loved ones. Some threw rocks at police inside the prison perimeter in frustration.
"It is a hugely painful tragedy," President Sebastian Pinera said, confirming the death toll had risen to 83. "The situation in our prison system cannot hold out any longer," he added, citing chronic overcrowding in the country's jails.
Justice Minister Felipe Bulnes said the prison housed 1,960 inmates, nearly twice the 1,100 inmate capacity. Radio station Bio Bio reported that around 200 inmates had to be evacuated into a jail yard due to the fire, which a local state prosecutor said was started deliberately.
Radio station Bio Bio reported that around 200 inmates had to be evacuated into a jail yard due to the fire.
Families heard about the fire and headed to the walls of the prison just south of Santiago. Today is visiting day, which meant many families had already planned to head to the prison.
"It is exasperating not to know if they are alive or dead. We have been here for hours, and they haven't told us anything!" said one woman.
Some relatives screamed when officials read out lists of some prisoners who had survived the fire, assuming those not included were dead. Officials stressed the lists were only partial. Some relatives threw rocks and glass bottles and scuffled with police in frustration.
Gonzalo Sepulveda wept after managing to contact his brother Cristian. "I'll die if something happens to him," Sepulveda said. "Those aren't animals they have in there. They are human beings who have made mistakes."
"Rusio Victor, wave a white T-shirt daddy," shouted seven-year-old Yadira Lopez, appealing to her father to signal he was alive.
Reuters