Officers of the Detention Service this evening had to use teargas to contain a disturbance at Safi Detention Camp.
The flare-up, which started at about 6 p.m., capped a day of tension which saw 10 migrants escape in the early afternoon. Five were later re-arrested.
Eyewitnesses reported smoke over the detention centre and army and police reinforcements being driven in.
The situation appeared to have calmed down by 8 p.m.
This was the second disturbance at the centre in a few days after a number of migrants were told that they would not be allowed to stay in Malta and would be repatriated.
Meanwhile a boat carrying 115 Somali migrants was intercepted off Malta this afternoon and was brought to harbour this evening. The migrants include 30 women and 15 children.