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Fire breaks out at migrant detention facility on U.S.-Mexico border, at least 39 dead

28 March 2023 11:14 (UTC +04:00)

A fire has broken out at a migrant detention facility on the U.S.-Mexico border, killing at least 39 people and injuring dozens more, according to local media. The fire may have been intentionally set, APA reports citing Bnonews.

The fire broke out on late Monday night at the National Institute of Migration in Ciudad Juarez, which is just meters away from the Stanton International Bridge, which links the Mexican city to El Paso, Texas.

Though no official reports have been released, local media outlets – including El Diario and El Heraldo – reported that at least 39 people were killed. Another 40 people were taken to area hospitals in unknown condition, according to Canal 44.

The fire is believed to have started in the restrooms and may have been intentionally set during a riot, according to local media.

Over the past few months, Ciudad Juarez has seen the arrival of thousands of migrants, mainly from Venezuela, who have been housed in various parts of the city, including the National Institute of Migration.