At least 129 people were killed while trying to escape from Makala Central Prison in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo officials said on Tuesday.

Congolese Interior Minister Shabani Luko said in a message posted on the social network X (formerly Twitter) early this morning that prisoners tried to escape from the prison yesterday after a fire that engulfed administrative buildings, including the toilet.

 

"Preliminary figures indicate 129 people were killed, 24 of whom were killed after a shooting warning," he said. The Congolese interior minister said at least 59 people were also injured in the attack.

 

Following the incident, the Congolese interior minister held a crisis management meeting with the African country's defense and security agencies.

 

Makala prison is the largest prison in the Democratic Republic of Congo, built to hold 1,500 prisoners, but currently there are between 14,000 and 15,000 prisoners, most of whom are awaiting trial.

 

This is not the first time that an escape from Congolese prisons has taken place. Earlier in 2017, more than 4,000 prisoners escaped after a nighttime armed clash.

 

Congolese authorities are trying to reduce the overcrowding of their prisons and have released dozens of prisoners in recent months.