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Teen inmates have torched buildings and armed themselves with riot gear at the troubled Banksia Hill Detention Centre in Perth.
The chaos on New Year's Eve sparked an eight hour standoff and caused hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damage after buildings were burned down.
More than 20 juvenile prisoners as young as 13 scaled roofs and fences barefoot and brandishing makeshift weapons as well as riot gear.
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Guards were even forced to barricade themselves in rooms as two education buildings went up in smoke.
Corrective Services Commissioner Mike Reynolds said the inmates claimed they wanted to "watch the fireworks".
"They got books and items from the education area which they lit," he said.
Armed riot officers negotiated from the roof and the ground, with the last boy finally surrendering just before 1am.
The state government has come under increasing fire for its treatment of youth detainees, with legal and human rights advocates slamming the conditions as child abuse.
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"There's something very going wrong when there's children kicking up, starting to vent their anger at the system when they aren't being heard," Desmond Blurton from Deaths in Custody Watch Committee, WA said.
Severe staff shortages are blamed for lengthy lockdowns.
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But the government insists that wasn't a problem yesterday.
Corrective Services Minister BIll Johnston said 35 staff were on hand.
"Thats more than one uniformed officer for each 2 detainees," he said.
Inmates are today confined to their cells as an investigation is launched .
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The Department of Justice is promising to undertake a thorough review in particular, how inmates were able to gain access to where riot gear is stored.
Authorities are promising to come down hard on those responsible with criminal charges likely, while the detainees who didn't participate in the riot will be rewarded.
Source: 9News
