Five Lebanese prisoners die in accident following mass prison break-out

Members of the Lebanese police gather outside Baabda prison, Lebanon, November 21, 2020. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Five escaping prisoners died on Saturday when their car hit a tree after more than 60 detainees broke out of a Lebanese detention centre outside the capital Beirut, Lebanon's Internal Security Forces (ISF) said in a statement.

The ISF statement did not say how the 69 prisoners had escaped from the facility, which a security source said holds pre-trial detainees and is part of Baabda district prison near Beirut.