Negligence caused Honduras jail fire: US

The US ambassador in Honduras on Thursday blamed a fire last month at an overcrowded prison in the Central American country that killed 361 inmates on official negligence.
An investigation by agents from the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) earlier found that the February 14 fire was accidental and may have been caused by a cigarette.
The agents "also established that there was negligence and violation of the law on the part of authorities by allowing these prisons to remain overcrowded and in dangerous conditions," said US Ambassador Lisa Kubiske.
The ATF experts carried out the investigation one week after the blaze following a request from Honduran authorities.
The team said the "tragic event has focused attention on inadequate safety practices within the Honduran prison system" such as overcrowding and the presence of flammable materials.
The incident at the Comayagua jail was one of the world's deadliest prison blazes, and highlighted the problem of overcrowding in the region's jails.