In Indonesia, a fire at a prison has killed 41 inmates. The fire, which occurred on Wednesday, highlights the dangers posed by the country’s overcrowded correctional facilities. Indonesia’s minister of law and human rights Yasonna Laoly stated that the prison was holding more than five times its capacity at the time of the fire. The prison is located in an industrial area on the western part of Java island. The fire allegedly grew so fast that the facilities 2,072 inmates were struggling to escape. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire, however, many suspect an electrical problem as the electrical system in the facility had not been improved since 1972.
The fire was noticed at 1:45 a.m. local time after prison authorities saw the flames and contacted the fire department. The fire department allegedly arrived just 13 minutes later and rushed to open doors to as many cells as they could. Dozens of prisoners were able to escape as a result of their efforts, some of whom sustained injuries and are currently being treated at a nearby health clinic.
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