The capture and arrest of the son of notorious drug lord Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman triggered a fierce gun battle in the Mexican city of Culiacan on Thursday.

Axar.az reports citing Telegraph that sustained, heavy gunfire rocked the western city of 750,000 people in a battle that left blazing vehicles strewn across the street and sent terrified residents running for shelter.

Mexican networks Televisa and Milenio both said security forces had confirmed the capture of Ovidio Guzman, who is believed to have risen to influence in the Sinaloa cartel along with his brother Ivan Archivaldo since their father was imprisoned in the United States.

A senior Mexican Government official also confirmed the arrest.

But Jose Luis Gonzalez Meza, a lawyer for "El Chapo's" family told The Associated Press that "Ovidio is alive and free" but that he had no more details about what had happened.