At least 150 dead in Congo Brazzaville arms dump blasts

At least 150 people have been killed in a
blast at a munitions dump in Congo Brazzaville, dpa quoted local media as reporting
Sunday.
According to Kinshasa-based Radio Okapi, Brazzaville police chief
Charles Bisengimana confirmed the explosions. He said they began in
the morning at an arms dump in the residential area of Mpila, which
is close to a busy market.
The broadcaster is based 18 kilometres away from the city of
Brazzaville in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.
The disused munitions were reportedly being stored by the
government and were due to be destroyed.
Media reported that at least 150 corpses have been counted. Scores
of injured have been taken to Makekele hospital, where medical staff
were reportedly overwhelmed.
Panic reportedly spread to Kinshasa, which is separated from Congo
Brazzaville by the Congo river. There, some windows caved in due to
the force from the explosions. Shops closed their doors.
Troops were deployed onto the streets of Brazzaville Sunday
afternoon and Defense Minister Charles Zacharie Boao appealed for
calm. "Serious measures have been taken by the government in order to
contain the blasts," Boao told local reporters.