Six inmates who were holding two staff hostage at a prison in Kaohsiung City in southern Taiwan killed themselves on Thursday morning, bringing to end a 14-hour standoff. The hostages are safe, Taiwan's local cable TV network Eastern Television reported.

The six inmates shot themselves to death at around 5:50 a.m. on Thursday, just before armed police were set to launch an overall offense action.

According to deputy justice chief Chen Ming-tang,  the inmates pretended to seek medical attention at about 4 pm local time on Wednesday and took an undisclosed number of prison officials hostage.

Warden Chen Shih-chih and head guard Wang Shih-tsang offered themselves as hostages to the inmates to secure the release of the others.

The prisoners then brought the two prison staff to the prison armory where they took four rifles and six handguns as well as over 200 bullets. 

They fired several shots heard outside the prison. Heavily armed SWAT police were dispatched to the scene. There have been no reports of injuries.

The inmates were reportedly serving prison terms for various crimes including drug offenses, robbery and murder.

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