A prison break in Saint-Marc, Haiti, on Friday left 12 inmates dead in a dramatic escalation of the country’s ongoing humanitarian crisis, fueled by rampant gang violence. The incident marks the third major prison escape in recent months, further highlighting the severe instability gripping the nation.

Local authorities reported that the situation was brought under control by Friday afternoon, but not before significant damage was inflicted on the facility. "The situation is under control, but the results are catastrophic," said State Prosecutor Venson Francois. "All the cops' dormitories have burnt down. The archives have burnt down. They've set everything on fire except their cells."

Unverified videos circulating on social media earlier in the day showed prisoners scaling walls and smoke billowing from the prison complex, with loud explosions and flames visible.

According to local official Walter Montas, the chaos erupted from a spontaneous protest by prisoners suffering from severe food shortages and deplorable health conditions. The national police have yet to comment on the incident.

The Saint-Marc prison, located approximately 55 miles north of Port-au-Prince, housed around 540 inmates. Haiti’s prison system has been overwhelmed in recent months, with the United Nations reporting that more than 7,500 people were incarcerated as of June, down from nearly 12,000 before mass prison breaks in early March.

The March prison break triggered a state of emergency and led to the resignation of former Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who had been abroad at the time. The crisis has left Haiti’s under-resourced police force struggling to contain gang violence, with international assistance slow to materialize. Of the 1,000 police officers pledged by Kenya, only 400 have arrived, while no other countries have yet deployed personnel.

The dire conditions within Haiti’s overcrowded prisons have already resulted in the deaths of at least 109 inmates this year. Local media reported that prison officials had been on strike, demanding better treatment from the government, further escalating tensions within the system.

As Haiti continues to grapple with this deepening crisis, nearly 600,000 people have been displaced, and close to half the population—about 5 million people—are facing severe hunger. The situation underscores the urgent need for international intervention to stabilize the country and address the humanitarian disaster unfolding within its borders.