A fire that engulfed a large military ammunition depot in N’Djamena, Chad’s capital, has killed at least nine people and injured dozens more, officials reported Wednesday, warning that the death toll may rise.
The blaze, which began late Tuesday, June 18, 2024, triggered powerful explosions that lit up the night sky and caused buildings to shake miles away. Health Minister Abdelmadjid Abderahim stated that many of the 46 injured were in “extremely serious” condition.
Unexploded shells and other munitions littered the ground at the scene on Wednesday, along with the burnt-out remains of what appeared to be military vehicles. Government spokesman Abderaman Koulamallah said the cause of the fire was not “criminal,” but an investigation is ongoing. Initial reports indicate several fatalities occurred in the ammunition storeroom.
“There are fewer deaths and less damage than we foresaw. We were expecting dozens and dozens of deaths,” said Koulamallah, who is also the foreign minister, in a telephone interview with AFP. “There aren’t many civilians who lost their lives.”
The fire raged above the Goudji area, home to the army’s largest ammunition depot, for several hours before subsiding after midnight. Explosions from the depot were felt up to seven kilometers (four miles) away, and the flames were visible from afar.
“The roof of our house was blown off by one of the explosions,” said Kadidja Dakou, a resident of the nearby Amsinene area. She and her three children sought refuge in the street with neighbors, fearing their homes would collapse.
“The soldiers had time to evacuate the vehicles, heavy weapons, etc., and were able themselves to take shelter,” Koulamallah said.
Regional Planning Minister Mahamat Assileck Halata, speaking at the scene, confirmed that the fire was “contained” and under control. Gutted buildings and a large crater could be seen in the military camp grounds. Halata urged people to remain calm and avoid handling any objects that may have landed, noting that deminers were on-site.
President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno expressed condolences to the victims’ families. Among the casualties was a six-year-old girl who was killed when a shell fell into her room, her family told AFP. “She burned to death, we couldn’t get her out,” said her cousin, who requested anonymity.
Authorities have cordoned off the area with a heavy security presence, and thick red smoke lingered in the air long after the blasts ceased. The depot is located near the international airport and a base for French troops.
The fire caused explosions of “ammunition of all calibres,” a French military official told AFP anonymously, adding that no French military personnel were injured.
Chad’s president recently won 61 percent of a controversial May 6 vote, which international NGOs criticized as neither credible nor free, and which his main rival called a “masquerade.”
(AFP)
