Many died in the panic and congestion that arose in connection with the escape attempt, according to the authorities. More than 20 people were shot to death, says Interior Minister Jacquemin Shabani Lukoo on X.
The prison administration building, as well as a food storage facility and a healthcare department, are reported to have been destroyed in a fire that broke out in the chaos.
Another nearly 60 people were injured. In video clips from inside the prison, bodies with visible injuries can be seen lying lifeless on the floors.
The prison is the largest in the Central African country, with around 12,000 inmates despite a capacity for around 1,500. No one is said to have managed to escape with their lives during the escape attempt.
