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Inmates of Kumasi Central Prisons on Wednesday evening attempted to escape after a fire outbreak at a section of the detention center.

The fire incident occurred at about 7:45pm but the cause is not yet known.

The prisoners took the opportunity of the fire outbreak to escape by breaking down walls but were stopped amidst gunfire by some police personnel who had surrounded the prison wall.

According to PEACE FM correspondent Sampson K. Nyamekye, due to the chaos in the prisons, the prisoners went inside the prison's kitchen and other offices to take some harmful objects to try and escape.

However, they clashed with some of the security personnel and by the help of tear gas and other measures, were able to control the prisoners.

He also gathered that the prisoners in that section where the fire occurred will be transferred to other prisons to avoid congestion and to allow for investigations to be carried out.

The Regional Minister, Samuel Sarpong in an interview indicated that the situation is under control.

According to him, “the prisoners decided to take advantage of the situation to misbehave. They had been throwing missiles outside, indicating that they had wanted to escape but the police were very swift in responding. They were able to contain the situation."

In an update, our correspondent said the compound of the prison is in a mess due to the clash whilst items like files, computers have been destroyed by the prisoners.

Meanwhile, some security officials including personnel from the military and the police are patrolling the compound and its surroundings to ensure calmness and orderliness.

Some prison officers who were injured have also been admitted at the Okomfo Anokye Teaching hospital and an unconfirmed number of inmates are also feared dead following the clash.