A series of powerful explosions at an ammunition depot in Burundi's largest city, Bujumbura, resulted in at least four confirmed deaths and widespread destruction, according to local residents and eyewitnesses. The blasts, which were attributed to an electrical fault by an army spokesperson, began late on Tuesday in the Musaga suburb and continued until around midnight, causing significant panic among the city's more than one million inhabitants.

The impact of the explosions was extensive, with shrapnel and debris propelled over 5 kilometers (three miles) from the depot. Several houses in nearby districts were reportedly destroyed by the sheer force of the blasts, painting a grim picture of the devastation. While official casualty figures have not yet been released by the authorities, family members and eyewitnesses have recounted at least four separate fatalities across the city. The AFP news agency, citing security sources, even suggested that dozens of people had died.

Specific incidents of loss and injury have emerged from various neighborhoods. One woman reported to BBC Gahuza that a relative detained at Mpimba Central Prison, located near the ammunition store, died after the facility was hit by a bomb. Numerous inmates at the prison were also reported to have sustained injuries. In the north-eastern neighborhood of Gisandema, witnesses described a house being destroyed by a bomb, resulting in the death of a domestic worker. Additionally, residents in Musaga informed Reuters that two people, including a young woman who was violently struck by a bomb while running, were killed in the immediate vicinity of the explosions.

The explosions sent plumes of smoke billowing above Bujumbura, creating a scene of chaos and fear. Residents, such as one man who sought refuge with his family after glass fell on them, described the terror of the ongoing blasts. Another resident expressed the community's desire for reassurance from officials that the danger had passed, allowing them to reorganize and return to normal life. President Evariste Ndayishimiye conveyed his condolences to all Burundians via a message on X, stating that the authorities were