Explosions at ammunition depot send projectiles into homes in Burundi

An army ammunition depot exploded in Burundi’s largest city, sending projectiles into nearby homes and forcing families to flee, according to the military and local media.

The explosions began on Tuesday evening in Musaga, a southern district of Bujumbura, the commercial capital of the small East African country, according to SOS Médias Burundi. Residents in several nearby neighborhoods reported repeated detonations.

SOS Médias Burundi said projectiles fell in populated areas, but the extent of the damage was not immediately clear.

Burundi military spokesman Brigadier General Gaspard Baratuza said an electrical accident at an army ammunition depot in Musaga caused the explosions. He told residents to remain calm and stay away from the area while authorities responded.

Footage recorded by nearby residents showed a large fire at the depot, with munitions exploding and being launched into nearby areas. It was not immediately known whether anyone was killed or injured.