A devastating series of explosions tore through a military arsenal in Bujumbura late Tuesday, killing dozens and injuring many more, security officials said on Wednesday. The blasts struck the main ammunition depot of the Burundi National Defence Force in Musaga, a densely populated district in the southern suburbs of the country’s economic capital.
Officials on the ground described scenes of chaos and destruction. A senior army officer said it was “impossible to establish a toll for the moment, but dozens have died, and hundreds—possibly thousands—have been injured.” Shrapnel from the explosions damaged homes across several neighbourhoods, adding to the city’s panic.
The depot sits close to the Higher Institute for Military Cadres, where army trainees live and study, as well as adjacent military installations and the Mpimba central prison. The proximity of these facilities has raised fears of further casualties and widespread damage.
Firefighting teams are still battling flames in hangars and barracks, according to the army official. “The explosions have slowed, but intermittent blasts are still being heard,” he said. A senior police officer who joined the firefighting effort explained that the fire began in a section known as “the shelter,” which stores heavy weapons and ammunition.
“The initial explosions triggered fires that spread to lighter arms, additional munitions, medicines, food supplies, and thousands of mattresses awaiting distribution to other camps,” the officer added.
Authorities have yet to release official casualty figures, leaving residents and families anxious about the full scale of the disaster. The city of over a million people remains on edge, with emergency teams continuing rescue and recovery operations as smoke and debris still fill the affected areas.
