late wednesday , attorney general tarek william ( cnn ) scores of people have died in a blaze that engulfed a jail in the venezuelan city of valencia , according to the country 's head prosecutor .
image : riot police were waiting to hear news about their family members imprisoned at a police station when a riot broke out , in valencia , venezuela , wednesday , march ... ( associated press ) police officers disperse the relatives of prisoners who were waiting to hear news about their family members imprisoned at a police station when a riot broke out , in valencia , venezuela , wednesday , march 28 , 2018 .
read more relatives waiting for news outside a venezuelan prison where 68 inmates have died in a fire have been tear - gassed by police .
in a state police station housing more than one hundred prisoners , a riot culminated in ... ( associated press ) valencia , venezuela ( ap ) — distraught families are clamoring for information about detained relatives following a fire that venezuela 's chief prosecutor says killed 68 people when it swept through the cells of the state police station .
the blaze started when violence broke out during an attempted breakout at the jail , which is attached to a police station , in the northern city of valencia .
they have appointed four prosecutors to clarify these dramatic events , " saab 's official account . "
angry relatives fought with police outside the prison where 68 inmates died in a fire , which townspeople said erupted after a disturbance involving detainees .
police officers disperse the relatives of prisoners who were waiting to hear news about family members imprisoned at the police station .
as news filtered out early in the day , angry family members seeking information clashed with police and pushed against a barricade , prompting officers to shoot tear gas at the crowd , according to local media reports .