Explosions at Burundi Ammunition Depot Kill Civilians, Witnesses Say

Residents in Bujumbura, Burundi’s largest city, reported that at least four individuals were killed in a series of powerful explosions at an ammunition depot. The blasts occurred late on Tuesday at a facility located in the Musaga suburb, with an army spokesperson citing an electrical fault as the cause. Shrapnel and debris traveled over 5km (three miles) before impacting nearby districts, where several homes were reportedly destroyed.

Witness Accounts Highlight Casualties

While authorities have not yet released official casualty figures, family members and eyewitnesses confirmed four separate fatalities in the city. The AFP news agency quoted security sources as stating that dozens of people may have died. One woman shared with BBC Gahuza that her relative, detained at Mpimba Central Prison, perished after the explosion struck the facility.

“A relative detained at Mpimba Central Prison died following the blast,” said the woman, speaking to BBC Gahuza.

Multiple inmates at the nearby prison were reported to have sustained injuries. In the Gisandema neighborhood, witnesses told BBC Gahuza that a bomb had obliterated a residence, killing a domestic worker. The explosions also sent plumes of smoke rising above the city, causing panic among its over-a-million residents.

Authorities Assess Damage

Officials are still evaluating the extent of the damage and have not yet provided updated casualty numbers. President Evariste Ndayishimiye extended his condolences via X, stating that the government is “here to help” in the aftermath.

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