Inmates take Taiwan prison staff hostage

Staff at a Taiwanese prison have been taken hostage by six inmates, who are believed to be armed, officials say.

The inmates broke into a weapons room at the jail in the southern city of Kaohsiung.

They obtained four rifles and six handguns and have taken the prison chief and two other staff members captive, deputy justice minister Chen Ming-tang said.

The six, who are in jail for a variety of crimes including manslaughter, robbery and drugs, are demanding their release from prison.

"Negotiations with the kidnappers are underway. They demanded they leave the prison from a side door," he said.

Television images showed dozens of police armed with rifles and protective gear surrounding the prison.

Chen said the kidnappers had fired shots into air apparently as a warning, but no one was hurt.