Burundi army says loud explosions at weaponry store caused by electrical fault

Multiple explosions were heard in the city of Bujumbura after a fire broke out late on Tuesday at a military arsenal in Burundi's economic capital, an army spokesperson said.

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Loud explosions were heard at an army arsenal in Bujumbura, Burundi's economic capital. / User Upload

Multiple explosions were heard in the city of Bujumbura after a fire broke out late on Tuesday at a military arsenal in Burundi's economic capital, an army spokesperson said.

In a video seen by AFP, a cloud of smoke loomed over a neighbourhood in Bujumbura at nightfall.

"A serious electrical accident in the ammunition store of the FDNB (Burundi National Defence Force) based in Musaga is the cause of the explosions currently being heard in the economic capital Bujumbura," Burundian army spokesperson Gaspard Baratuza said.

Musaga sits in the southern suburbs of Bujumbura.

"We urge the public to remain calm and avoid the surrounding areas; the relevant services are currently intervening," Baratuza added in a message shared in a WhatsApp group for journalists.