UK Restores Order After Worst Prison Riot in 26 Years

Security officers have restored order at a prison in the central English city of Birmingham one day after an estimated 600 inmates seized control and launched a destructive rampage. Authorities called Friday's 13-hour takeover of HMP Birmingham the worst prison uprising since the 1990 riot in Strangeways in Manchester, which lasted 25 days and left one prisoner dead. No staff members were injured during the Birmingham unrest but one prisoner remained hospitalized Saturday with a suspected broken jaw and eye socket, the AP reports.

Justice Minister Liz Truss says the reasons for the riot will be fully investigated, while those convicted of rioting will face longer sentences. "Violence in our prisons will not be tolerated and those responsible will face the full force of the law," she said. The BBC reports that during the riot, inmates took over four wings of the prison, started fires, and raided medical supplies. Sources say that private security firm G4S, which runs the prison, will be required to cover most of the repair costs. (More United Kingdom stories.)