Fire at Migrant Detention Facility on US-Mexico Border Kills 39

Local media reported that a fire broke out in an immigration detention center on the US-Mexico border, killing at least 39 people and injuring dozens.

The fire may have been set deliberately.

The fire broke out late Monday night at the National Institute of Immigration in Ciudad Juarez, just a few feet from the Stanton International Bridge, which connects the Mexican city with El Paso, Texas.

Although no official reports were published, local media—including El Diario and El Heraldo—reported that at least 39 people were killed. 

Another 40 people were transferred to area hospitals under unknown circumstances, according to Canal 44.

Local media mentioned that the fire broke out in Hammamet and may have been set deliberately during a riot.

Over the past few months, Ciudad Juárez has seen the arrival of thousands of migrants, mostly from Venezuela, who are sheltered in various parts of the city, including the National Institute of Migration.

A raid by immigration authorities on Monday afternoon resulted in an unknown number of detainees being housed in the building which caught fire. No official statement was issued regarding the incident.