BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes in Tripoli: "There was a huge barrage"
Libyan insurgents took control of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi of Bab al-Aziziyah substance in Tripoli, one of the few areas that remained under its control.
TV pictures showed soldiers to break the head of a statue of the Libyan leader and kick the ground. They also seized items from his home.
It is unclear whether Colonel Qaddafi or his family is inside the complex.
Rebel leaders say they have control over almost all of the capital, but there are still pockets of resistance.
Heavily armed soldiers were streaming into the capital Tuesday morning, dozens of pickup trucks to take part in an attack on the Bab al-Aziziya.
A few hours later the wall broken, and quickly overran the compound.
The rebels have shown that the destruction of the statues - including the iconic golden hand crushing a U.S. fighter plane - and fired into the air in celebration.
There were no obvious signs of strength Tuesday night, despite reports that hundreds of supporters of Gaddafi had been instructed to keep the compound.
Bab al-Aziziya complex was reported to be connected by underground tunnels at strategic locations throughout the city.
Building that houses military Gaddafi residence, library and government offices.
I have put the Col Gaddafi and his family are not clear.
Rana Jawad in Tripoli says that BBC is a real feeling that this is the end of the regime of Colonel Gaddafi, but the celebrations proper will not begin until he and his family have been found.
There are still pockets of resistance in Tripoli near the Rixos Hotel where many foreign journalists stay.
And the situation is unclear, the colonel's home town of Sirte, which was a fortification system loyalists.
Reports indicate that government troops had to withdraw from new quality in Sirte, and rumors have circulated suggesting that the colonel may have fled there.
Next row
Soon on Tuesday, his son Saif al-Islam spoke to reporters Rixos Hotel, hours after the rebels said the arrest.
He stressed that the government had "broken the backbone" of the offensive by the rebels and supporters of his father were to win the battle.
But Western politicians, leaders of the rebels and the military alliance NATO has rejected his claims.
"A brief appearance in the middle of the night, does not mean for me by someone who controls the land or capital, or really anything at all," said NATO spokesman Oana Lungescu.
Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department said it was clear that the regime had collapsed almost.
Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the United States will try to release the $ 1 billion and $ 1.5 billion (£ 600 and £ 900) in frozen Libyan agents in the coming days and provide money to the rebel National Council Transition (CNT).
The members of the NTC, which has until now been based in the eastern city of Benghazi, said they plan to fly to Tripoli on Wednesday to begin work on forming a new government.
"I will be judged for years he served as minister at the Gaddafi government," he told a news conference in Benghazi.
He advised the Libyans to be tolerant, saying they should "avoid taking things personally and ... comply with court decisions."
The rebels swept Tripoli this weekend, but after a rapid progress, have met stiff resistance in many areas on Monday.
The uprising against 41 years Colonel Qaddafi's reign began in February. Rebels in the pockets of East and West, before making its push into the capital over the weekend.
Nato air strikes were directed against the forces of Col. Gaddafi, acting on a UN mandate to protect civilians.
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