84-year-old detainee killed in Antipolo jail fire; 1 escapes

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MANILA, Philippines — An 84-year-old detainee died while another escaped after a fire broke out at the Antipolo City Jail on Thursday night.

The 84-year-old prisoner charged with rape initially complained of difficulty of breathing and was declared dead on arrival at a hospital, according to a statement from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) on Friday.

The BJMP has not yet named the victim.

Meanwhile, another detainee, Michael Zimon Dig, reportedly escaped during the commotion. He was in detention while facing two counts of robbery, the BJMP said.

Tracking teams have been sent against him, the agency said.

Ten other detainees were hurt in a stampede triggered by the fire and were brought to an undisclosed hospital for treatment.

According to the BJMP, the fire broke out at about 8 p.m. and it was declared put out by the Bureau of Fire Protection at about 9 p.m.

There were 1,471 detainees at the jail at the time of the blaze, the BJMP said. Some of these were evacuated to a nearby basketball court but were returned to their cells before daybreak Friday. /cbb