Five Inmates And Two Guards Hospitalized Has Dozens Of Inmates Flee Prison In France

Dozens of inmates at a prison in central France flee from their cells when unrest broke out at 5: 00pm local time (1500GMT). The riot which broke out on Monday after two inmates steal the keys of a warden which allowed them to open all the cells, prison sources said.

The inmates of the Vivonne prison in the centre-west town of Poitiers then set fire to one of the prison buildings and "broke everything," added Giraud. Flames which begin to spread gradually through one floor of the three-storey building were later put out by the fie-fighters whom hurriedly drove to the scene where the fire has already taken most part of the building. The fire was later put out by the fire fighters after several attempts.

The incident which began after a prisoner was refused parole and encouraged others to rebel with him, a prison source said. However, six inmates and five guards had so far been hospitalized for smoke inhalation, officials said.

The Vivonne prison is an ultra-modern facility, built in 2009 with a capacity for 578 inmates.