AFRICA/CHAD – Officially 9 dead and 46 injured in the explosion of the “Poudriere”, but perhaps more
N’Djamena (Agenzia Fides) – “The official toll shows 9 dead and 46 injured, but the victims are probably much higher”, a local source from N’Djamena, the capital of Chad, tells Fides Agency. where the city’s most important arsenal exploded on the evening of June 18 (see Fides 19/6/2024).
“The initial explosion was very strong, so much so that the windows of the apartments on the highest floors of the buildings located a few kilometers from the powder magazine were destroyed. It was followed by numerous secondary explosions which projected the munitions all around, ending up against civilian houses. This is why it is feared that the number of deaths will be higher than that presented by the government,” our source said.
As for the causes of the explosion, the authorities have opened an investigation but, according to the Fides source, “the prevailing orientation is that of a tragic accident linked to recklessness and negligence on the part of those who were to guard the arsenal. “On the other hand,” he adds, “a few years ago a similar accident occurred in the same military depot and, even then, there was talk of negligence.”
The Goudji arsenal, commonly known as the “powder magazine”, is the army’s main depot of heavy weapons and ammunition in N’Djamena. It is located near important garrisons and the army headquarters, the Hassan Djamous international airport and the Adji Kosseï military base which houses the French contingent in Chad. “Initially, it was a relatively uninhabited area, but over the years, with the expansion of the city, the ‘powder magazine’ found itself surrounded by civilian housing,” explains the source. “The very proximity to the international airport poses a problem. Fortunately, the airport was closed for a few hours after the explosion and is now functioning, but it would have been a big problem if it had remained uninhabitable for days, because it is the main route of communication to foreign countries.”
The scene of the explosion is impressive: in place of the military depot there is a huge hole in the ground, surrounded by the calcified carcasses of destroyed military vehicles. Around it, civilian homes and even a clinic bear the marks of detonations and, in many cases, unexploded artillery shells are stuck to their roofs or walls.
President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno visited the site and reassured: “I would like to tell my compatriots that the situation is under control and that we must remain calm.” Then he added: “This is not the first time that there have been explosions of ammunition depots. This should teach us not to build any more depots in the middle of the city.” (LM) (Agenzia Fides 20/6/2024)
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