Burundi Says Prison Fire Kills 38 Inmates in Gitega

A journalist, policeman and a soldier observe the damage in front of the main prison after the fire, in Gitega, Burundi, Dec. 7, 2021

Burundi's government says 38 prisoners were killed in a fire Tuesday morning in Gitega, the country's political capital.

Vice President Prosper Bazombanza announced the deaths. More than 60 other people have been injured and the death toll could rise.

The prison in Gitega is overcrowded with more than 1,500 inmates in cells designed to hold 400, according to local reports.