NAIROBI, March 31 (Reuters) – Explosions heard on Tuesday in Bujumbura, Burundi’s commercial capital, were caused by an electrical short-circuit at an ammunition store in a military camp, an army spokesperson said.
The blasts, which reverberated across the city, sent plumes of smoke into the sky and prompted residents to seek shelter.
Images shared on social media showed the explosions, including rising smoke and a distant fire. Reuters could not independently verify the authenticity of these pictures.
“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.
Baratuza urged the public to stay calm and avoid the surrounding areas, adding that emergency teams were addressing the situation.
(Reporting by Clement Manirabarusha in Bujumbura, David Lewis in London, Ammu Kannampilly and incent Mumo Nzilani in Nairobi Writing by Bate FelixEditing by Keith Weir)
