TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- A fire broke out in an Iranian prison early Monday, killing 27 prisoners and injuring 50 others, officials said.
The fire broke out inside a prison in Gorgan, capital of northern Golestan province on the Caspian sea, the prison's director Abbas Ali Arab, was quoted as saying by the official Islamic Republic News Agency.
``Unfortunately, 27 prisoners were killed and 50 others injured in the incident,'' IRNA quoted head of provincial prison Arab as saying Monday.
Arab said the victims were all inmates, aged 20 to 69, IRNA reported. He gave no further details.
The agency said the injured were taken to several hospitals in different cities of the province.
The agency quoted provincial official Hossein Rafati as saying that the fire was caused by a short circuit.
Authorities have launched an investigation, the agency said.
