After the fire that killed 38 people at a collection point for arrested migrants in the northern Mexican city of Ciudad Juárez, many people mourned the victims at the scene of the accident. They laid flowers and lit candles in front of the Immigration Service (INM) building in the city on the US border on Tuesday evening (local time), as can be seen in pictures. Pope Francis also asked for prayers for the migrants.
38 people died and 30 others were injured in the accident, which is believed to have been caused by mattresses that had been set on fire. According to the immigration authorities, the victims were migrants from Central and South America who had previously been picked up by the authorities on the streets of Ciudad Juárez and held at the collection point. They were reportedly awaiting deportation to their home countries.
After the publication of a video from a surveillance camera at the collection point, criticism of the responsible authorities was voiced. According to the recordings, when the fire broke out, officers ran away instead of letting the migrants out of the locked room. Those directly responsible for the events have already been brought before the Attorney General’s Office, said Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard.
