San Pedro Sula (Honduras): A short-circuit sparked a fire yesterday (May 17, 2004) that quickly consumed an overcrowded cellblock in a Northern Honduras prison, suffocating or burning to death 103 gang members.

It was the second deadly prison fire in Honduras in a little over a year, and Vice President Vicente Williams promised to find funds to improve the overcrowded penal system.

"Honduras' jails are a time bomb,'' Williams said at the damaged prison in San Pedro Sula, 180 km North of the capital, Tegucigalpa.

The fire in the cellblock housing 186-gang members killed at least 103 prisoners. Some were burned to death, while others died from smoke inhalation. More than two-dozen others were taken to area hospitals with injuries.

All appeared to be members of Mara Salvatrucha 13, one of the most violent of Central America's gangs. They had been isolated in the cellblock to prevent prison clashes.

A little less than a year ago, a violent clash between imprisoned gang members left nearly 70 people dead, including guards and visitors.

Many of the imprisoned gang members killed yesterday were detained during the country's recent crackdown on gang violence. In August, Maduro succeeded in passing legislation outlawing gangs and establishing minimum sentences of 12 years for gang members.