Heavy blasts rock Musaga as explosions hit Military Camp in Bujumbura

A powerful series of explosions rocked Burundi’s economic capital, Bujumbura, late Tuesday night, triggering panic among residents and causing damage to nearby homes, authorities and witnesses said.

The blasts began at around 7:00 p.m. local time in the densely populated Musaga zone, where a major military installation known as Camp Base is located. 

Residents reported hearing continuous detonations for more than two hours, accompanied by intense flames and thick smoke rising into the night sky.

“It kept getting worse. The fire was huge, and the smoke was overwhelming,” one resident in Kinanira III, a neighborhood close to the camp, told local media.

Burundi military spokesperson, Gaspard Baratuza, confirmed that the incident occurred at a weapons depot inside the camp.

In a statement, he attributed the explosions to what he described as “a major electrical incident” affecting a storage facility belonging to the national defense forces (FDNB).

The prolonged blasts sent shockwaves across large parts of the city, with debris reportedly landing several kilometers away.

Residents in Kinanira III and IV said their homes were damaged, while others fled to safer areas amid fears of further explosions.

Fragments were also reported in Ngagara, more than five kilometers from the site.

The Ministry of Interior and Public Security urged residents to remain calm and avoid spreading panic, assuring that the situation was under control and being handled by emergency services.

Authorities also warned people to stay away from areas surrounding the camp as response teams continued operations.

The incident caused significant disruption, with reports of minor road accidents as frightened residents attempted to flee the affected neighborhoods.

Camp Base, located near Mpimba Central Prison and surrounded by densely populated communities, is known to store weapons, ammunition, and other military supplies.

Experts note that when explosives such as grenades, mines, and artillery shells are exposed to fire, they can detonate in rapid succession, sending dangerous fragments over wide distances.

The presence of a fuel station within the camp may have further intensified the fire and explosions.

Despite the scale of the incident, no fatalities or injuries had been officially confirmed at the time of reporting. Authorities have also not yet released a full assessment of the damage.

The explosions, described as among the most serious in recent years in Burundi, have raised concerns about safety measures at military storage facilities located near civilian populations.

Emergency teams remained on the scene into the early hours, working to contain the situation and secure the area, as investigations into the exact cause of the incident continue.