HEAVILY armed gangs struck the city of Mirebalais in central Haiti on Monday, seizing control of a local prison as hundreds of people fled the area under gunfire.

Local media reported that gang members released dozens of inmates in the large-scale attack targeting parts of Mirebalais, just 30 miles north-east of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

In a video posted on social media, a man is seen hoisting an automatic rifle as people around him yelled: “We broke out the prisoners!” Soon after, they began chanting: “They can’t stop us!”

At least 530 prisoners escaped, according to Arnel Remy, an attorney and general co-ordinator for Haiti’s Collective of Lawyers for the Defence of Human Rights.

Mirebalais officials could not be immediately reached for comment.

Vant Bef Info, an online news site, reported that authorities closed schools in the area and that a self-defence group helped police fight back gangs seeking to control the entire city.

A spokesman for Haiti’s National Police did not immediately respond to a message for comment.

Fedlin Jean, a journalist with Radio Vision 2000, said: “The people of Mirebalais did their best to defend Mirebalais but couldn’t resist the attack.”

“Mirebalais emptied out,” he said, saying that people fled to a nearby town as gangs burned homes, cars and buildings.