At least eleven people died and 88 were injured after an explosion at an oil terminal in Conakry, the capital of Guinea. Jean Traore, head of civil protection, confirmed the death toll and warned that the incident could have a direct impact on the country’s population.
The blast, which occurred in the Kaloum administrative district, caused windows to shatter in nearby homes and forced hundreds of people to flee. The full extent of the damage to the terminal was not immediately clear. Guinea is not an oil producer and has no refining capacity, so it imports refined products which are mostly stored in the Kaloum terminal and distributed via trucks across the country.
The cause of the explosion was unknown, and the government announced that an investigation would be launched to determine its cause and any parties responsible. The government expressed concern that the incident could have a direct impact on the population.
A massive fire and billowing black smoke were visible from miles away as firefighters rushed to the scene. Several tanker trucks left the depot, escorted by soldiers and police. Workers, excluding defense and security forces and medical personnel, were advised to stay at home, and public and private schools, as well as most gas stations, were closed.
People in the area rushed to secure fuel at several emergency stations ahead of possible shortages. The country has a small oil depot at the port in Kamsar, north of Conakry, which is mostly used by mining firms. The impact of the blast was felt elsewhere in the country as concerns over fuel shortages arose.
In the town of Mamou, around 260 km from Conakry, vehicle owners besieged gas stations. According to a motorcycle taxi rider, the price of gasoline on the black market had increased to 20,000 Guinean francs per liter, compared to the previous price of 12,000 Guinean francs.
By Monday afternoon, a thick column of smoke and some flames were still visible after firefighters brought the blaze under control. An unnamed source close to Conakry’s central prison stated that the blast had caused some damage to the building, which is located near the oil terminal.
The reporting was provided by Saliou Samb, with writing by Bate Felix and Anait Miridzhanian, and editing by Jason Neely, Gerry Doyle, and Bernadette Baum.
