A fire at a military ammunition depot in Chad sent a series of explosions blasting into the night sky near the international airport in the capital N’Djamena, where President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno says there have been deaths and injuries.
Local media reported the blasts started just before midnight and lasted more than 30 minutes as nearby buildings shook and ammunition was thrown from the depot with explosive force.
People living in the area panicked, thinking the explosion was an armed attack, resident Oumar Mahamat said.
The situation was later brought under control with security and health officials deployed in the area, government spokesperson Abderaman Koulamallah said. He urged residents to remain calm.
The fire “caused human and material damage,” President Mahamat Deby Itno posted on Facebook. “Peace to the souls of the victims, sincere condolences to the bereaved families and quick recovery to the injured.”
He did not give the number of fatalities.
The cause of the fire was not immediately clear, and the president said an investigation would be conducted.
Peoplesmind