Two senior prison officers have been injured during a prison riot at the Golden Grove Prison in Arouca that happened earlier today.

According to Acting Prison Commission Dennis Pulchan:

“The officers tried to pacify the situation and sustained injuries. Then they barricaded themselves in the southern division…then they jammed the locks so no one can get in and went down to the remand south prison where they breached the wall of the prison, slamming items against the wall causing a hole in the perimeter of the prison.”

Some prisoners tried to escape through the hole in the wall but were deterred by armed officers, after which about 250 inmates then climbed to the roof, setting it on fire.

“They opened the roof and tried to come out….trying again to escape. But shots were fired by officers to dissuade them. They retreated and went down into the prison,” he said.