CHRISTMAS ISLAND – Order has been restored to the Christmas Island detention centre following reports of a riot, the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection says.

Earlier, the Federal Government had confirmed a number of people at the detention centre were involved in a “stand-off” with authorities following the death of an Iranian refugee.

But according to Immigration, staff have re-entered the central parts of the centre and say the facility is calm.

A food service has begun and service providers are negotiating with protesting detainees to provide medication to those with medical conditions.

Back-up staff are also being flown to Christmas Island to relieve workers who have been under pressure since the death of an Iranian refugee after he escaped from the centre on Saturday.

The Department say they remain committed to resolving the situation through negotiation.

On Monday, the Department had denied that there was a large-scale riot taking place following the death of Iranian Kurdish refugee Fazal Chegeni, whose body was found at the base of a cliff on Sunday. Chegeni’s death is being investigated by Australian Federal Police.

A man being held inside the centre said detainees had set fire to parts of the complex. There were also reports guards had abandoned the centre and fences had been torn down.

“If people have committed acts of wilful damage or assault or other criminal acts within detention centres, then they’ll face the full force of the law,” Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said.

“But for us, at the moment, the priority is to make sure that we can restore order within the centre, and the people on the ground are undertaking those activities.” At the height of the disturbance, 25-year-old detainee Matej Cuperka told the ABC that ex-convicts who had their Australian visas cancelled after serving time in jail started the riot.

“The death of the Iranian man is very, very suspicious,” he said. “They – the inmates who are rioting – believe Serco officers did something to him.

“I clearly heard him in the morning screaming for help, and the next thing I see they be bringing him in a body bag, and after that the whole place went into lockdown.

“About 30 people started a fight with the emergency response team in front of the medical clinic where officers left their stations and put the place in lockdown.”

“They are setting fires everywhere,” Cuperka added. “They have broken into the canteen, into the property area, they started fires over there and now they starting in the compound.

“There are cars full of officers driving around the complex. They are just having a look through the window, but nobody is helping us. I want to get out of here. Get me somewhere safe please.”

Another detainee, who stressed that he had not been involved in the riots, said “most of the compounds have actually been broken into, including the medical compound”.

“The canteen, I can see from where I’m standing now, has been completely ransacked and is burning as I speak to you,” he said. “It’s a complete disaster zone.

“All the cameras have been smashed up, all the kitchen has been smashed up, the offices have been breached and all the computers and everything has been broken up.”

The Immigration Department said the camp’s perimeter had not been breached and “the department and its service providers were working together to resolve the situation”.

Dutton said there had been an initial response by Serco officers and there would be “further responses from the appropriate authorities either negotiating or dealing with those people who have caused disturbances there”.

Dutton said a coronial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Chegeni would be conducted.

“As I’m advised there are no suspicious circumstances in relation to the death,” he said.

Dutton said there are currently 203 people at the Christmas Island detention centre with no women or children held.

The Refugee Action Coalition’s Ian Rintoul said he had been in contact with detainees throughout Sunday night.

“The fences are down, Serco has abandoned the detention centre, there have been many fires set,” Rintoul told the ABC.

“I don’t think the accommodation blocks have been burned – a lot of people have not been involved – but there is certainly considerable property damage and breaching of the fences.”

Shadow immigration minister Richard Marles urged the government to be more transparent over what was going on.

He told the ABC that the Turnbull Government needed to reverse its “terrible” track record of transparency and confirm what was happening.

“They need to be explaining to the Australian people what is happening with these facilities.”

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said those with asylum claims should be protected from the riot.

“There must be an immediate evacuation of all refugees and asylum seekers from Christmas Island, to leave them there would be irresponsible and a breach of duty of care,” she said.

- ABC