34. In addition, the potable water system of the prison was obsolete and inadequate to meet the existing demand and did not have fire hydrants to connect hoses.33 According to the statements of the director and the administrator of the prison, at the time of the incident, the prison lacked adequate mechanisms to prevent and deal with fires. In addition, the only directive concerning emergency situations issued by the prison authorities was to fire at the floor as a warning signal and, in case of fire, to call the fire department. 35. The State did not provide educational or recreational activities for the rehabilitation of those deprived of liberty, and the services provided to the inmates by the Catholic Church were almost inaccessible to the inmates who belonged to maras or gangs. C. Specific conditions of cell No. 19 36. Cell No. 19 was a construction of approximately 200 square meters built of cement blocks with plastered and painted bricks that formed part of the overall structure of the prison, but was isolated from the other cells. It had a single entrance with a metal gate in front of which was the entrance to the complex and this was the only entrance to the inmates’ sleeping quarters. At the time of the fire, cell No. 19 contained 183 inmates, presumed members of a “mara,” ranging between 18 and 40 years of age. According to the State, this classification obeyed the need to avoid confrontations between rival gangs and sought to safeguard the security of the inmates. At least 45 of the individuals deprived of liberty in this cell were subject to pre-trial detention. Of that group, 22 were there exclusively for the offense of unlawful association (Annex B). 37. In addition, the physical space for each inmate was approximately one square meter, a space which also contained the refrigeration appliances, beds and other objects. The cell had no ventilation or natural light; thus, the lighting was artificial. Furthermore, it had only one evacuation route in case of an emergency and no fire extinguishers or water system for fighting fires.34 38. The overpopulation that existed in the prison resulted in overcrowding and a lack of privacy to receive visitors, which was accentuated among the inmates who supposedly belonged to gangs, because the facilities used for their detention were improvised complexes for their security. 39. The lack of ventilation and the high temperatures made it necessary to use electric fans. According to one of the expert opinions required by the Public Prosecution Service, cell No. 19 contained, inter alia, three air conditioners, 62 ventilators, two refrigerators, ten televisions, three electric irons, one stereo system, a VCR/VHS, a microwave oven, a blender motor, an air curtain, a water cooler, and an electric heater.35 In addition, according 33 Cf. Note addressed by Carlos G. Ramírez Paz to the prosecutor on May 20, 2004 (file of attachments to the merits report, attachment 49, folio 655), and testimony of Virginia Alfaro Calvo (file of attachments to the merits report, attachment 53, folio 714). 34 Cf. National Human Rights Commission of Honduras, Informe especial con incendio ocurrido en el Centro Penal de San Pedro Sula Prison el 17 de mayo de recommendations concerning the fire in the San Pedro Sula Prison on May 17, 2004] merits report, attachment 38, folio 566), and testimony of Mauricio Abelardo Guardado 389. recomendaciones sobre el 2004 [Special report with (file of attachments to the Rivera, supra note 30, folio 35 Cf. Technical report on the fire that occurred in cell No. 19 of the San Pedro Sula Prison, by Luis Alberto González Aldan, engineer (file of attachments to the merits report, attachment 42, folio 624). 13