Explosions at ammunition depot in Burundi kill 13 civilians (army)
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At least 13 people were killed and dozens injured by a series of powerful explosions at a munitions depot in Bujumbura, Burundi’s largest city, the army said.
In its latest update, 57 people, including three soldiers, were injured. Homes and private vehicles were damaged, while military equipment and installations were destroyed by the explosions, the statement added.
The explosions took place Tuesday evening at this installation, located in the suburb of Musaga, and were caused by an electrical fault, an army spokesperson said earlier.
Shrapnel and debris were propelled more than 5 km (three miles).
Previously, family members and eyewitnesses reported four separate deaths in the city to the BBC. Security sources told the AFP news agency that dozens of people had died.
A woman told BBC Gahuza that a relative, detained at Mpimba Central Prison, died after a bomb hit the facility.
Many inmates at the prison, located near the ammunition store, were reportedly injured.
In the northeastern Gisandema district, witnesses told BBC Gahuza that a bomb destroyed a house and killed a domestic worker.
The army offered its condolences to the bereaved families and its sympathy to the injured, and urged Burundians to remain calm and report any unexploded bombs.
The Musaga military installations are located in a densely populated area. It houses army logistics depots and is next to another military base and a prison.
The explosions caused plumes of smoke to rise above the city, spreading panic in the city of more than a million people.
President Evariste Ndayishimiye, in a message on X, expressed his condolences to all Burundians, adding that the authorities are “here to help.”
One man told the BBC that the explosions lasted from about 6:15 p.m. local time (4:15 p.m. GMT) until midnight and that he and his family left their home to seek shelter.
“Drinks fell on us and I even injured my foot,” he said.
Another man said: “We would like the authorities to reassure us that it is over so that we can reorganize ourselves and return to normal life.”
Residents of Musaga told the Reuters news agency that the explosions killed two people, including a young woman.
“She was in front of me. I saw her fall while she was running among a group of people. Shortly after, I learned that she had been violently hit by a bomb,” said a witness.
More BBC stories from Burundi:
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