A battle between rival drug gangs at a prison killed 52 people in the northeastern Mexican city of Monterrey, authorities said on Thursday, days ahead of a planned visit by Pope Francis to another jail in Mexico´s far north.
Fighting broke out before midnight in two areas of the Topo Chico prison between a faction of the brutal Zetas gang and another group, Nuevo Leon state Governor Jaime Rodriguez said.
"During the clash several prisoners set fire to the food storage and sleeping areas," Rodriguez told reporters.
It was not immediately clear how the victims died but Rodriguez said there was no gunfire.
Rodriguez said the situation had been brought under control at about 1:30 a.m.(0730 GMT) on Thursday and ruled out a prison break.
