A prison break in the Haitian city of Saint-Marc has left 12 inmates dead.
Mayor Myriam Fievre said the incident, the third in Haiti in recent months, came amid a protracted humanitarian crisis fuelled by gang violence.
State Prosecutor Venson Francois said the situation on Friday afternoon was under control at the jail, which housed around 540 inmates, but the local population should remain vigilant and watch for escapees.
“The situation is under control but the results are catastrophic. All the cops’ dormitories have burnt down. The archives have burnt down. They’ve set everything on fire except their cells,” Francois said.
Earlier in the day, unverified videos shared on social media showed people climbing over walls and smoke streaming out of walls ringed with barbed wire, a loud explosion and fire.