Scores Killed in Burundi Following Weapons Depot Explosion
Last update: April 1, 2026
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Fire at Bujumbura ammunition depot sparks blasts, damages homes and triggers panic.
At least 13 people were killed and dozens injured after a fire at a military arsenal in Bujumbura triggered a series of explosions, the army said Wednesday.
CBI News reports that the blasts began late Tuesday at an ammunition depot in the Musaga district, with authorities attributing the incident to an electrical fault.
The army said 57 people were wounded, including three soldiers, and confirmed the dead were civilians, though earlier security sources warned the toll could be higher.
Homes, vehicles and military facilities were damaged as flames spread and explosions rocked the densely populated area near military sites and Mpimba prison, where a source said eight inmates were killed.
Witnesses described scenes of panic as residents fled overnight and projectiles landed in nearby neighbourhoods. Firefighters struggled to contain the blaze due to water shortages.
President Evariste Ndayishimiye expressed sympathy for victims, while authorities urged residents to report unexploded ordnance and avoid contact with suspicious objects.
