RIO DE JANEIRO, May 25 (Xinhua) -- At least nine people were killed on Friday in a fire at a provisional detention center for minors in Goiania, capital of the central state of Goias, local firefighters announced.
Another minor was injured and is being treated at a local hospital in critical condition.
The disaster took place on Friday morning for unknown reasons at the detention center of the 7th Battalion of Military Police of Goiania.
Witnesses said the teenagers set fire to a mattress inside one of the cells, in an intent to rebel. However, the government of Goiania said in a statement that it had no indication there was any attempt to start a riot, but it had no further explanation for the fire.
According to the firefighters, around 50 minors were in detention at the center at the time, 11 of whom were in the cell where the fire started.
A local medical institute told reporters that the victims would have to be identified by their dental records, as their bodies were severely charred.
