Explosions thundered across Burundi’s economic capital Bujumbura late Tuesday after a fire erupted at a military ammunition depot, authorities said, triggering widespread fear.
Residents described a night of chaos as blasts echoed through neighbourhoods, sending shockwaves across the lakeside city home to more than one million people.
An army spokesman said the explosions were caused by a serious electrical accident inside an ammunition storage facility belonging to the Burundi National Defence Force.
The arsenal is located in Musaga, a southern suburb of Bujumbura, where emergency teams rushed to contain flames and prevent further detonations.
Witnesses reported seeing a towering mushroom-shaped cloud of smoke rising into the night sky, casting an ominous shadow over nearby residential districts.
Images circulating on social media showed tall flames piercing the darkness while distant explosions rattled windows and sent residents scrambling for safety.
One resident living near the national broadcaster said a projectile landed close to the building, intensifying fears that the blasts could spread further across the city.
Authorities urged citizens to remain calm and avoid the affected area, saying specialised services were intervening as explosions continued intermittently through the evening.
In the Gasekebuye neighbourhood, several kilometres away, residents reported shattered windows and falling debris, describing burning munitions launching unpredictably into surrounding communities.
Independent media platform SOS Medias Burundi warned of growing panic, saying many residents fled their homes amid fears of worsening security conditions.
The organisation reported hearing both heavy and light gunfire, although officials had not confirmed those claims and the situation remained unclear hours later.
No official casualty figures were released immediately, leaving uncertainty hanging over the city as authorities assessed damage and secured the military site.
Bujumbura lies on the shores of Lake Tanganyika near the volatile eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where regional tensions already weigh heavily on public anxiety.
Burundi has deployed troops across the border to support Congolese forces battling the Rwanda-backed M23 militia, adding geopolitical strain to an already fragile environment.
The country continues to grapple with deep economic hardship, including a prolonged fuel shortage that has paralysed transport and strained daily life for millions.
Since taking office in 2020, President Evariste Ndayishimiye has alternated between reformist signals and political crackdowns criticised by opposition groups and international observers.
The explosions occurred only hours after Ndayishimiye returned from the Central African Republic, where he attended President Faustin-Archange Touadera’s third-term inauguration ceremony.
Human rights organisations and the United Nations have repeatedly raised concerns over alleged abuses during Ndayishimiye’s presidency, underscoring persistent political tensions.
As smoke lingered above Bujumbura and frightened families sought refuge, uncertainty dominated the night, with residents waiting for clarity amid echoes of fading blasts.