Honduras: Hundreds Killed in Horrific Prison Fire

February 15, 2012 from Al Jazeera English

A fire in a prison in Comayagua, a town in Honduras, has killed more than 350 inmates. Many of the victims were unable to escape the blaze because they were trapped in their cells. Families of inmates fought with the police outside the jail, which was holding more than 800 people. John Terrett wraps up the developments.

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Honduras

Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a republic in Central America. It was at times referred to as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize. The country is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the sou... Explore this topic

Comayagua prison fire

On February 15, 2012, at least 357 inmates were killed in a fire in the National Prison of Comayagua in Honduras. Many were trapped in their cells and either suffocated or were "burned beyond recognition". The fire in the prison, situated approximately 75 kilometres (47 mi) fr... Explore this topic

Comayagua

Comayagua is a city in Honduras, some 50 miles northwest of Tegucigalpa on the highway to San Pedro Sula at an elevation of 1,949 feet above sea level. In 2003 the estimated population was 60,000 people. It is the capital of the Comayagua department of Honduras. The city is no... Explore this topic

Prisons in Honduras

There are an estimated 12,000 prisoners in Honduras, a small country in Central America with a general population of 7 million. There have been a number of massacres, including 69 people killed in a rural prison outside La Ceiba called La Granja in April 2003. On April 26, 200... Explore this topic

Fire

Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition. The flame is the visible portion of the f... Explore this topic

Prison riot

A prison riot is an act of concerted defiance or disorder by a group of prisoners against the prison administrators, prison officers, or other groups of prisoners in attempt to force change or express a grievance. Prison riots have received a little academic attention. The pap... Explore this topic

Prison cell

A prison cell, holding cell or lock-up is a small room in a prison, or police station where a prisoner is held. Prison cells are usually about 6 by 8 feet in size with steel or brick walls and one solid or barred door that locks from the outside. Many modern prison cells are p... Explore this topic

Prison

A prison, also known as gaol or jail, is a place in which people are physically confined and usually deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime. Other terms used are ... Explore this topic

Maras

Maras are gangs originating from Central American countries such as El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. Explore this topic

Short circuit

A short circuit is an electrical circuit that allows a current to travel along an unintended path, often where essentially no electrical impedance is encountered. The electrical opposite of a short circuit is an "open circuit", which is an infinite resistance between two nodes... Explore this topic

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A Year After Fire Killed Hundreds, No Change in Honduran Prison

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A year after the worst prison fire on record killed 362 people in Honduras' Comayagua jail, little has changed inside the facility, Al Jazeera find...