At least 41 inmates were killed and 80 more were injured, officials say, when a massive fire engulfed the Tangerang Penitentiary early this morning.
According to the police, the fire broke out just before 2am at the prison’s C block, which housed inmates with drug-related offences and had a capacity for 122 people.
The blaze was put out two hours after firefighters arrived at the scene, after which 41 bodies of inmates have been recovered so far.
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“There were also eight burn victims and 72 with minor injuries,” Jakarta Metro Police Chief Fadil Imran told reporters this morning.
The wounded are being treated at nearby hospitals.
Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the fire.
According to the Justice and Human Rights Ministry, latest data prior to the fire showed that the Tangerang Penitentiary housed 2,072 people, exceeding the facility’s capacity for 600 people.
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