Six bodies found piled in a hallway with cause of death under investigation after vicious gang battle turns fatal

SIX bodies were found in a hallway this week after a vicious street gang mysteriously killed their own members while incarcerated.

Honduras police are investigating the six victims' causes of death after the horror scene was discovered inside a prison early Monday.

Prison guards found six inmates belonging to the same street gang dead during a routine check at the prison in Llama.

The deceased criminals were members of Barrio 18, which is considered one of the most powerful street gangs in Honduras, according to the Associated Press.

"We have six people who have died in that penitentiary," said National Police Deputy Commissioner Marlon Lagos.

"We are investigating and doing an inspection and also interviewing the coordinators of the different modules to determine the motive."

It is unclear how the inmates died, but forensic specialists are investigating the scene, Lagos said.

The penitentiary holds at least 90 members of the Barrio 18 gang.

Members are being held for a variety of crimes ranging from drug trafficking to murder.

The shocking deaths of the six inmates come after it was revealed in March that prison murders in El Salvador had soared to dozens per day.

Pictures showed the criminals lined up, kneeling with their hands cuffed behind their back as police tried to end the bloodshed.

A state of emergency was declared amid the fresh wave of gang violence, with the homicides allegedly ordered by the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18 gangs.