Prison riot in Brazil kills 9, injures 14; over 100 inmates escape after rival gangs engage in violence and start fires

Sao Paulo: Inmates from rival gangs battled at a prison in Goias state on Monday, leaving nine dead and 14 injured, authorities told the Brazilian news site G1. Officials said the violence at the Colonia Agroindustrial prison in the Aparecida de Goiania Complex apparently erupted when inmates from one cellblock invaded three others where prisoners from rival gangs are housed. The attackers set mattresses on fire when they entered the neighbouring corridors and burned the bodies of those who were killed, authorities said. Firefighters were able to contain the fire. [caption id=“attachment_4283389” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Inmates from rival gangs battled at the prison Monday, leaving several dead and more than a dozen injured. AP[/caption] Authorities confirmed the number of dead, but said identifications had not yet been made, G1 reported. Local media said about 106 inmates escaped during the riot, and officials had recaptured 29. The reports said 127 other inmates fled during the violence but returned voluntarily. Officers from the Special Penitentiary Operations Group regained control of the prison with the support of military police about two hours after the riot started. Exactly one year ago, a prison riot at the Anisio Jobim Penitentiary Complex in Amazonas state caused 56 deaths. A day later, four prisoners were killed at the Puraqueuqara Prison Unit in the same state. Thirty-three more inmates died 6 January in a riot at a prison in Roraima state, and 26 were killed 14 January when inmates rebelled at Alcacuz prison in Rio Grande do Norte.