Inmates in a prison in southeast Turkey set beds and blankets alight, starting a fire that killed 13 prisoners, authorities said today, Hurriyet reports.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the fire affected a ward housing 18 inmates in the prison in the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa. He said some inmates set their bedding on fire following a fight that broke out inside the ward yesterday.
Meanwhile, police used pepper gas to disperse families and protesters who attempted to make their way through a road block to reach the prison, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.
The situation at the prison was calm on Sunday and Güvenç said prison authorities would grant increased visiting time for families concerned about their loved ones.
13 inmates killed in Turkish prison fire
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