The horrifying tragedy took place in one of the police stations in Valencia, Venezuela. Following a riot involving prisoners, a deadly fire took lives of at least 68 people.

Venezuela Fire: 68 die in Carabobo police station cells https://t.co/B3pYpuJv7X pic.twitter.com/eTcrLIAGC4

— Sketch Online (@online_sketch) March 29, 2018

Reportedly, the riot began when a detainee shot one of the officers in the leg. To break free from the police station, inmates then set fire to mattresses. Unfortunately, the blaze spread too quickly, and rescuers were forced to break a hole to free the survivors.

Nearly all 68 victims are prisoners. Venezuela’s Attorney General Tarek William Saab also added that the dead included 2 women who stayed at the station overnight.

Venezuela’s chief prosecutor says 68 dead after riot, fire at police station. https://t.co/AiNldO730J pic.twitter.com/T1zYI1Ok4V

— Star Tribune (@StarTribune) March 29, 2018

Getting to know the horrible news, the family and friends of detainees gathered outside the station, trying to find out if their loved ones were alive. The crowd was so big that the police even had to use tear gas to disperse it.

At least 68 dead as fire sweeps through Venezuela police station cell area after riot https://t.co/hLx5fgCTFD pic.twitter.com/od5WV67Hu3

— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 29, 2018

Relatives accuse the police of keeping inmates in deteriorating conditions and demand to know if their near and dear had survived the fire. Some say officials should be held accountable because they didn’t address overcrowding, which is a common problem throughout the country.

The police have not revealed any details yet, so desperate friends and family still wait for any information about what had happened.

68 die at police station in #Venezuela during fire that followed rioting.https://t.co/dyKFix5VHX pic.twitter.com/Oo7PBAOL7m

— San Francisco Chronicle (@sfchronicle) March 29, 2018

Unfortunately, this is not the only tragedy involving fire that took place in the last week. On March 25, a horrific incident took lives of at least 64 people (the majority of them being children). The fire broke out at the Winter Cherry mall in Kemerovo, Russia. The cause of the fire is yet to be established.