From Madrid, President Fernandez instructed that the government cover the burial costs of the victims of the Higuey jail fire and that the government express its sympathy to the relatives of the victims. The fire broke out around midnight of Sunday, 6 March. The authorities are documenting from survivors what occurred, but the situation just puts into evidence the negligence of the prison authorities and lack of management of Dominican jail facilities. One press report indicates that the mutiny developed after one inmate fired at another with a gun. Witnesses say that insect spray was the flammable used to ignite the mattresses.
Victims are expected to total around half of those serving time at the jail. The jail had capacity for 80, but housed 400.