The incident involved around 20 inmates and began at 6.30pm on Friday, according to the Penitentiary Administration (DAP). It was still ongoing an hour later, although fire fighters had extinguished the fire by 7pm.
Arnaud Gateau, regional secretary of the UFAP Grand Est union, told AFP the unrest took place on one floor of the establishment and staff had called in reinforcements to deal with the mutiny.
Prisoners are said to have burned litter and mattresses as part of the riot. No one was injured during the incident, but it caused significant material damage due to smoke. Inmates also damaged electrical boxes and security cameras.
With the help of police and regional security teams, the rioters were dispersed and taken back to their cells.
This is not the first time tensions have boiled over in French prisons since the coronavirus pandemic began, as inmates protested their conditions, refused to return to their cells and started fires.
