A fire at a military ammunition depot in N’Djamena, the capital of Chad, triggered a series of powerful explosions late on Tuesday, causing an unknown number of casualties and widespread damage. Foreign Affairs Minister Koulamallah Abderaman confirmed the incident on Facebook, stating that there had been “huge explosions” in the city’s Goudji district.
President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno acknowledged the loss of life and injuries caused by the blaze, promising to launch an investigation into the cause of the fire. Residents in the area reported feeling the impact of the explosions, with some describing their homes shaking as if they were under attack. One resident, Moustapha Adoum Mahamat, told Reuters that loud blasts woke them up, and they witnessed artillery shells flying overhead.
Tragically, a shopkeeper was killed after being hit by a shell, according to a resident. Social media users shared images of spent artillery shells that had landed in nearby homes. Kadidja Dakou, a 36-year-old resident of the Amsinene area near Goudji, fled her home with her three children, fearing the house would collapse. She reported that the roof of their house had been blown off by one of the explosions.
The ammunition depot is located in a neighborhood with multiple homes and is situated near the international airport and a base for French troops. An official with the French forces, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that the blaze had caused explosions of ammunition of all calibers.