Explosions and fires at military munitions depot in Chadian capital kill people

N'DJAMENA, Chad — Explosions and fires at a military munitions depot in Chad's capital have killed people and triggered frantic efforts to extinguish the blaze and treat the injured, authorities and witnesses said Wednesday.

Explosions Tuesday evening at the N'Djamena depot lit up the sky as thick smoke covered clouds in the West African country.

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 speedy recovery to the injured.”

He did not give the number of deaths.

The cause of the fire was not immediately clear and the president said an investigation would be carried out.

Residents in the neighborhood panicked, thinking the explosion was an armed attack, said resident Oumar Mahamat.

The situation was then brought under control thanks to the deployment of security and health officials in the area, said government spokesperson Abderaman Koulamallah. He urged residents to remain calm.

Local media reported that the explosions began just before midnight and lasted more than 30 minutes as nearby buildings shook and munitions were thrown from the depot with explosive force.

Authorities called on residents to stay out of the area, which was retaken by security forces collecting scattered artillery shells.

Allamine Moussa, a resident, called on the government to “come to our aid urgently”.

“Many families have recorded deaths and it’s sad,” Moussa said.

Chad, a country of nearly 18 million people, has been rocked by political unrest before and after a controversial presidential election that resulted in Deby Itno's victory. He had led the country as interim president during military rule that followed his father's death in 2021.

The country is seen by the United States and France as one of the last stable allies in the volatile Sahel region south of the Sahara Desert, following military coups in Burkina Faso, Mali and in Niger in recent years.

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Asadu reported from Abuja, Nigeria.