Inmates barricade themselves inside St Albans prison

A group of inmates have barricaded themselves inside a cell block at St Albans prison in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape.

Correctional Services reaction teams and police are on site and in the process of gaining entry to the cell block.

Eastern Cape Correctional Services Regional Commissioner Nkosinath Breakfast said the incident stemmed from inmates refusing to eat.

"We are going to gain entry and do a head count and take them to the dining hall‚" he said.

Breakfast said the situation was not violent.

However ambulance and fire department officials are on standby in the event the situation escalates.

This incident comes less than a week after three inmates were killed in a fight between inmates and warders on Boxing Day.

Dozens more‚ including inmates and warders were injured.

- TMG Digital/The Herald