A detainee died after a fire overnight from Thursday to Friday in his cell at the Aiton prison (Savoie), we learned Friday from corroborating sources.
The fire broke out in a cell shortly before 1 a.m., according to firefighters.
About twenty of them had to be deployed to overcome the fire.
Staff tried unsuccessfully to rescue the inmate.
But the victim, whose age was not specified, was declared dead by the doctor of the Samu.
The interregional direction of the penitentiary services indicated to have seized the prosecution to determine the causes of the tragedy.
It will be a question of understanding whether the start of fire was intentional or accidental.
The Aiton penitentiary center, opened in 1992, has a capacity of 230 places in remand centers and 200 places in detention centers.