14 people killed and 178 injured after powerful explosion in Guinea

In Guinea, at least 14 people killed and 178 injured after a powerful explosion and fire at the main fuel depot rocked the centre of the capital Conakry early on Monday, causing substantial damage and bringing the city to a standstill. Schools were closed and workers told to stay at home as thick black smoke filled the sky. Residents fled the area where the blast occurred, images on social networks showed.

The incident happened at the state oil company's main depot in the Kaloum district of Conakry, near the port. The fire was brought under control in the afternoon, and of the injured treated by emergency services and in hospitals, 113 have been discharged,



according to a government statement read on national television late Monday. It was not immediately clear what caused the explosion at the depot that supplies most of the fuel in Guinea. 

Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, the head of the ruling junta who seized power after a 2021 coup, called for "solidarity and prayer for the nation in this difficult time" while the results of an investigation ordered by the government are awaited. Security Minister Bachir Diallo said on state television, the fire had been contained and some countries including Senegal and Mali were sending medical and safety teams.