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A spokesperson for the Burundian Army has revealed that the explosions heard in the country’s capital, Bujumbura, on Tuesday were caused by an electrical short circuit at an ammunition store in a military camp.
“A serious electrical accident at the (army) ammunition depot in Musaga is the cause of the explosions currently being heard in the economic capital, Bujumbura,” army spokesperson Gaspard Baratuza said in a response to Reuters.
There were plumes of smoke across the city following the explosion. Residents were frightened by the blasts and sought shelter.
In a video seen by AFP, a tall mushroom cloud of smoke loomed over a Bujumbura neighbourhood at nightfall, which another resident described as “spreading terror” across the city.
A resident who spoke to AFP said some windows in his house were shattered during the explosion. Another resident said his children ran away.
Earlier, Baratuza urged the public to stay calm and avoid the surrounding areas, adding that emergency teams were addressing the situation.
SOS Medias Burundi, a platform for independent journalism in the country, warned the public of growing panic and said the security situation could deteriorate.
“Unconfirmed reports suggest that an arms stockpile may have caught fire inside a military camp known as “Base,” located in the Musaga area, in the southern part of the city. Fear is spreading rapidly among residents, with many continuing to flee their homes,” the platform noted.
