8 inmates injured, some gravely, in fight that damages northern Mexico prison with fire

6/9/2014
ASSOCIATED PRESS

MEXICO CITY — A fight today among inmates at a prison in the border city of Matamoros left at least eight prisoners injured, some of them gravely, authorities said.

Tamaulipas state authorities said the injured had burns from a fire set by some of the inmates involved in the brawl.

State police officers and soldiers were sent in to stop the fight and put out the fire, which also damaged the prison, officials said in a brief statement.

Authorities didn’t say if those involved in the fight were linked to drug trafficking. Tamaulipas has been the scene of bloody turf battles between the Gulf and Zetas cartels, which have also fought each other inside prisons.

Once one of Mexico’s most violent states, Tamaulipas had calmed somewhat by 2012, but violence has re-ignited in recent months.