Nearly 55 injured in California prison riot

US: A riot at a prison in southern California left 55 inmates hospitalized with serious injuries and more than 200 others with minor injuries, a spokesman for the state prison said Sunday.

Fighting erupted Saturday night among inmates in a medium security section of the California Institute for Men in the town of Chino, 35 miles (56 kilometers) east of Los Angeles, authorities said in a statement.

"More than 200 inmates have been treated by medical staff at the institution for minor non-life threatening injuries and 55 inmates, with more serious injuries, have been transported to a local outside hospitals for treatment," he said.

US media had earlier reported that 40 people were injured in the riot, which ocurred in a part of the prison that housed an estimated 1,300 inmates.

"Correctional staff immediately responded, formed into tactical units, and systematically regained control of the housing units," the statement said.

Los Angeles, AFP