Detainees have described chaotic scenes at the Christmas Island detention centre including claims guards have abandoned their posts amid riots at the facility.
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Refugee groups on Monday morning said the centre's canteen had been burnt down and fences and walls knocked over.
The Department of Immigration and Border Protection issued a statement confirming a disturbance at the facility but said while there were reports of damage, the perimeter was secure and there were no reports of any injuries.
In a later statement, the department said there was no actual "riot" but has classified the incident as a major disturbance.
The department has not yet responded to claims guards have abandoned the centre.
A New Zealand detainee, Ricky Downs, told TVNZ guards had fled.
"The canteen's been smashed to pieces, there's no security, there's no emergency response team, there's no border patrol, there's no guards, there's nothing," he said, according to audio provided to ABC radio.
"They've gone, they've freaked out and left."
Serco, the private company contracted to secure the centre, would not comment on the claims on Monday.
The riots come after the death of the Iranian Kurdish asylum seeker, named by refugee groups as seeker Fazel Chegeni.
His body was found on Sunday after he escaped from the centre on Friday. A coroner will investigate.
Another male detainee who said he was in detention for overstaying his visa and wanted to remain anonymous told the ABC detainees were staying put despite the guards abandoning the centre because "we've got nowhere to go."
"There's holes in the walls now, there are no doors holding up in our compounds, things have been set on fire. The place is getting destroyed now pretty much," he said.
Refugee Action Coalition spokesman Ian Rintoul said fires had been started at the centre and some fences and barriers had been knocked down.
But he said the property damage had subsided since the disturbance began.
"There are still no guards inside," Mr Rintoul said.
"People are still able to walk quite freely around the detention centre.
"There's no ongoing property damage happening anymore. They have broken all the security cameras. There's no intent to break out of the centre."
He said the main walls around the perimeter of the centre remained intact.
"I think we have seen an explosion of anger over a faceless death and the brutality they confront inside, day in, day out," he said.
Mr Rintoul said Mr Chegeni had been found to be a refugee when he was in Curtin detention centre, around two and a half years ago. But he had been charged with assault following a fight between detainees at the detention centre.
He was later released into the community in Melbourne for a few months but was re-detained in Melbourne even though he was given a good behaviour bond for the assault charge, Mr Rintoul said.
"He had been in Christmas Island detention for around 10 weeks after being transferred from Wickham Point, Darwin," Mr Rintoul said.
"Like so many others, Fazel, was suffering the effects of long-term arbitrary detention. He had told other detainees that he could no longer stand being in detention and just wanted 'to go outside'."
Mr Rintoul said at a meeting late on Sunday afternoon, detainees were told that Mr Chegeni's body was found 'in the jungle' and that he had been dead 'for some time'.
Christmas Island, which was formerly used to house asylum seekers, has been converted into a detention centre for about 200 foreign nationals whose visas have been revoked on character grounds under section 501 of the Migration Act.
The Department of Immigration and Border Protection on Monday morning confirmed "a disturbance" at the detention centre. A department spokesperson said no injuries have been reported.
"The Department and its service providers are working together to resolve the situation," the spokesperson said.
"The Department is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for detainees, and maintaining the good order of detention facilities.
"Any criminal offences will be referred to the police. It would not be appropriate to make further detailed comments on matters that are subject to ongoing operations."
with AAP, Neelima Choahan, Latika Bourke
