Honduras fire

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Most Inmates in Honduras Fire Hadn't Been Convicted

Overcrowded prison was disaster waiting to happen

(Newser) - Of the 856 souls crammed into a Honduran prison that became a fiery inferno Tuesday night, more than half had never been charged, let alone convicted. Under the country's strict anti-gang laws, a simple tattoo was cause for incarceration, a practice the UN calls a violation of international law....

Toll in Honduras Prison Fire Rises Past 300

About 500 inmates escaped

(Newser) - The numbers are settling in the horrific fire inside a packed Honduras prison: Authorities say 356 inmates are missing and presumed dead, many of whom were trapped inside their cells, reports the AP . About 475 escaped, with 21 reported injuries. According to some survivors, the blaze began when an inmate...

'Hellish' Honduran Prison Fire Kills 272

Many left to burn in their cells as guard could not be found

(Newser) - At least 272 inmates are dead after a devastating blaze swept a federal prison in central Honduras overnight, officials say. A fire department spokesman in Comayagua described a "hellish" scene in which many prisoners "burned to death or suffocated in their cells." Many were apparently left to...

3 Stories