Cairo: Four prisoners were killed in a massive fire at a notorious prison in Iran’s capital, where political prisoners and anti-government activists are kept, the country’s judiciary said on Sunday. Flames and smoke were widely seen billowing from Tehran’s Evin Prison on Saturday evening. As the nationwide anti-government protests that began with the death of a young woman in police custody entered their fifth week. In the online video, gunshots and explosions can be heard in the prison area.
The fire broke out after a fight between the inmates
The fire was extinguished after several hours and no detainees escaped, state media said.
Officials said the fire broke out after a fight between inmates, apparently in an attempt to stem the tide of ongoing protests at the prison. Hundreds of people are being held at Evin, where human rights groups have reported repeated mistreatment of prisoners. State media originally reported nine people were injured, but the judiciary website mizandotnews.com said on Sunday that four inmates had died of smoke inhalation.
Ten inmates were hospitalized
and 61 others were injured. The website said that all four who died were in jail for robbery.
Ten prisoners were hospitalized, four of them in critical condition, Mizan reported. It is said that some prisoners tried to escape but failed.