A fire broke out in an overcrowded prison in Brundi’s capital Gitega, with 38 dead and 69 injured, said Prosper Bazombanza, Vice President of Burundi. According to the interior ministry, the fire was caused by a short circuit. Official data suggest that there are at least 1,500 convicts in the prison, which has a capacity of 400 people.
In August, a fire broke out in the same prison due to an electrical failure.