The Democratic Republic of Congo’s government on Tuesday said at least 129 people were killed while trying to escape from the central Makala prison in the capital, Kinshasa, late on Sunday.
The government added that the situation was now under control.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) early on Tuesday, Interior Minister Shabani Lukoo said a fire had also broken out in the jail’s administrative building, its food depots and a hospital. Some 59 people were wounded, he added.
“The mass escape attempt at Makala Central Prison resulted in the loss of life and significant material damage,” he said in the video statement.
Earlier, a prison official had said no prisoners had succeeded in escaping, adding that those who tried to escape had been killed.
The government was investigating the incident.
The break-out attempt occurred around 2:00 a.m. (0100 GMT) on Sunday.
Prisoners told Reuters they had heard heavy gunfire, as well as sounds of prisoners outside.
