About 200 inmates joined the uprising that began on Saturday night at the prison in Magdalena, 75 miles (120 km) south of the capital of Buenos Aires, said Argentine television station TN. At least 17 people died before order was restored on Sunday morning, Fernando Diaz, director of the Buenos Aires province penitentiary service, told TN. "We have taken control of the jail, which was in the hands of inmates overnight, and there is no area outside our control now," he said. "The inmates have returned to their cells and we are doing a recount."The prisoners began their revolt to have visiting hours extended on Sunday for Mother's Day, TN said, citing family members and onlookers. Smoke was shown rising from the prison compound after inmates set mattresses aflame, sparking a fire that later spread and may have been fatal, TN said. Officials would not comment on the cause of the blaze. Several family members said they entered the prison early Sunday morning and saw corpses "piled on top of one another." They put the death toll at closer to 30 people. Hundreds of inmates' relatives stood outside the jail at midday, demanding information about the identity of the dead.
| And a wonderful time was had by all, except for the dead guys. |