At least 52 people were killed after a prison clash in Brazil's northern state of Para on Monday, officials said.

According to the state's Superintendency of the Penitentiary System (Susipe), the incident occurred at the Altamira Regional Recovery Center.

The prisoners set fire to the premises, so that several of the detainees died of suffocation.

Of the 52 prisoners who died, at least 16 were decapitated, according to Susipe. Two prison officers who were taken hostage were freed later.