Protesters angry at plans to allow Burkina Faso’s President Blaise Compaore to extend his 27-year-rule have set fire to parliament.
Correspondents say the city hall and ruling party headquarters are also in flames.
A huge crowd is surging towards the presidential palace and the main airport has been shut.
MPs have suspended a vote on changing the constitution to allow Mr Compaore to stand for re-election next year.
Five people have been killed in the protests, among the most serious against Mr Compaore’s rule, reports BBC Afrique’s Yacouba Ouedraogo from the capital.
The military fired live bullets as protesters stormed parliament, our correspondent says.
Journalists are now gathered outside the defence ministry awaiting a statement from the military, he says.
Witnesses say dozens of soldiers have joined the protests, including a former defence minister, Gen Kouame Lougue.
The main opposition leader, Zephirin Diabre, has called on the military to side with “the people”.
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Mr Compaore’s whereabouts are unknown, but he has appealed for calm via Twitter.
He first took power in a coup in 1987, and has won four disputed elections since then.
