Egypt: Three prisoners burned alive in prison fire

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Three prisoners were burned alive and another 15 injured when a fire broke out in their cell on Friday, the Interior Ministry said. The injured inmates suffered either burns or smoke inhalation and were treated in the hospital at Wadi el-Natroun prison, northern Egypt, a police officer said, speaking on condition of anonymity, as he was not authorized to speak to the press. The Interior Ministry issued a statement saying that three people had been burned alive and another 15 injured in the fire, which appears to have been caused by an electrical short-circuit. About 20 prisoners were in the cell when the blaze began, the official said.