At least 52 people have died after a riot sparked a fire in a Mexican prison on Thursday. The deaths occurred at the Topo Chico facility near Monterrey in northern Mexico. Twelve others were reportedly injured. Initial reports suggest the incident involved the notorious Zetas drug cartels, the local governor said. Violence broke out over night as rival gangs confronted each other. Control has since been wrested back by prison officials and no inmates escaped during the incident.
Outside the prison, relatives of inmates demanded updates on the situation. "I want to know that my daughter is OK. She is in the infirmary. There are children in there," one woman said, according to the BBC. The prison sits in the region of Nuevo Leon, an area notorious for gangland violence associated with narcotics. "We are experiencing a tragedy," the governor said.
Mexico Prison Riot
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Video grab showing riot police outside a prison in the northern city of Monterrey in Mexico on February 11, 2016. (credit:FRANCISCO COBOS via Getty Images)
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Video grab showing riot police and relatives of inmates of a prison in the northern city of Monterrey in Mexico on February 11, 2016. (credit:FRANCISCO COBOS via Getty Images)
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Video grab showing police vehicles leaving a prison in the northern city of Monterrey in Mexico on February 11, 2016. (credit:FRANCISCO COBOS via Getty Images)
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Video grab showing riot police and relatives of inmates of a prison in the northern city of Monterrey in Mexico on February 11, 2016. (credit:FRANCISCO COBOS via Getty Images)
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Video grab showing riot police officers deployed outside a prison in the northern city of Monterrey in Mexico on February 11, 2016 where according to local media at least 30 people died in a prison riot. (credit:FRANCISCO COBOS via Getty Images)
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Video grab showing security forces deployed in the northern city of Monterrey in Mexico where according to local media at least 30 people died in a prison riot on February 11, 2016. (credit:FRANCISCO COBOS via Getty Images)
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Security forces are deployed outside the Topo Chico prison in the northern city of Monterrey in Mexico where according to local media at least 30 people died in a prison riot on February 11, 2016. (credit:JULIO CESAR AGUILAR via Getty Images)
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Relatives of inmates block a road outside the Topo Chico prison in the northern city of Monterrey in Mexico where according to local media at least 30 people died in a prison riot on February 11, 2016. (credit:JULIO CESAR AGUILAR via Getty Images)
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Relatives of inmates gather outside the Topo Chico prison in the northern city of Monterrey in Mexico where according to local media at least 30 people died in a prison riot on February 11, 2016. (credit:JULIO CESAR AGUILAR via Getty Images)
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Relatives of inmates gather outside the Topo Chico prison in the northern city of Monterrey in Mexico where according to local media at least 30 people died in a prison riot on February 11, 2016. (credit:JULIO CESAR AGUILAR via Getty Images)
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Relatives of inmates gather outside the Topo Chico prison in the northern city of Monterrey in Mexico where according to local media at least 30 people died in a prison riot on February 11, 2016. (credit:JULIO CESAR AGUILAR via Getty Images)
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Relatives of inmates demonstrate as they gather outside the Topo Chico prison in the northern city of Monterrey in Mexico where according to local media at least 30 people died in a prison riot on February 11, 2016. (credit:JULIO CESAR AGUILAR via Getty Images)
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Relatives of inmates demonstrate as they gather outside the Topo Chico prison in the northern city of Monterrey in Mexico where according to local media at least 30 people died in a prison riot on February 11, 2016. (credit:JULIO CESAR AGUILAR via Getty Images)
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Relatives of inmates demonstrate as they gather outside the Topo Chico prison in the northern city of Monterrey in Mexico where according to local media at least 30 people died in a prison riot on February 11, 2016. (credit:JULIO CESAR AGUILAR via Getty Images)
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Relatives of inmates demonstrate as they gather outside the Topo Chico prison in the northern city of Monterrey in Mexico where according to local media at least 30 people died in a prison riot on February 11, 2016. (credit:JULIO CESAR AGUILAR via Getty Images)
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Relatives of inmates demonstrate as they gather outside the Topo Chico prison in the northern city of Monterrey in Mexico where according to local media at least 30 people died in a prison riot on February 11, 2016. (credit:JULIO CESAR AGUILAR via Getty Images)
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Relatives of inmates gather outside the Topo Chico prison in the northern city of Monterrey in Mexico where according to local media at least 30 people died in a prison riot on February 11, 2016. (credit:JULIO CESAR AGUILAR via Getty Images)
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A woman cries as relatives of inmates gather outside the Topo Chico prison in the northern city of Monterrey in Mexico where according to local media at least 30 people died in a prison riot on February 11, 2016. (credit:JULIO CESAR AGUILAR via Getty Images)
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A relative of an inmate tries to break a chain and get into the Topo Chico prison in the northern city of Monterrey in Mexico where according to local media at least 30 people died in a prison riot on February 11, 2016. (credit:JULIO CESAR AGUILAR via Getty Images)
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A woman cries as relatives of inmates gather outside the Topo Chico prison in the northern city of Monterrey in Mexico where according to local media at least 30 people died in a prison riot on February 11, 2016. (credit:JULIO CESAR AGUILAR via Getty Images)
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Female inmates look to the street from the Topo Chico prison in the northern city of Monterrey in Mexico where according to local media at least 30 people died in a prison riot on February 11, 2016. (credit:JULIO CESAR AGUILAR via Getty Images)