'Macabre' scene as death toll rises in Brazil prison riot

A bloody clash between two prison gangs on Monday left at least 57 inmates dead with 16 of them decapitated, authorities in the state of Para said. State authorities said the riot began around 7 a.m. local time at a prison in the northern city of Altamira, and involved rival gangs. Prisoners belonging to the Comando Classe A gang set fire to a cell containing inmates from the rival Comando Vermelho, or Red Command, gang, Para's state government said in a statement.

Most of the dead died in the fire, while two guards were taken hostage, but later released. Brazil's justice ministry said in a statement that it was working with Para authorities to identify those behind the latest attack, adding it had opened some space in the federal prison system where those gang leaders would be transferred.