6 inmates in southern Taiwan take prison staff hostage

Six inmates took the warden and several other people hostage at a prison in the southern Taiwanese port city of Kaohsiung this afternoon, the official Central News Agency said.
The six inmates convicted of burglary, murder and drug crimes were suspected to be armed although no gunshots were heard at Kaohsiung Prison, CNA said.
Quoting a legal department official, CNA said the warden offered to be a hostage in exchange for a vice warden, who earlier volunteered with another prison official to be hostages for negotiations.
The inmates initially took some staff members of the prison hostage, the news agency said.

It said two people might be injured but gave no further detail.
CNA said the inmates were demanding a vehicle that could allow them to leave. It said police were on the scene confronting the inmates.
Police were investigating the reason for the hostage taking, CNA said.