An arms dump of a military base is being blamed for the huge explosions that killed and injured people Sunday afternoon in Brazzaville, Congo. The force that hit the capital was felt from miles away, even across the border. People fled their homes in panic, buildings were destroyed, and appeals for medical staff to come to hospitals were made later in the day. Although casualty numbers are not confirmed, initial reports say between 150 and 200 people may have been killed as a result of the early morning crash.
The central African country has been fairly peaceful since the end of their civil war that lasted most of the 1990s. Defense Minister Charles Zacharie Bowao said the problem stemmed from a fire at an arms depot in the riverside neighborhood of Mpila. He appeared on national radio and television to create calm, "The explosions that you have heard don't mean there is a war or a coup d'etat," he said. "Nor does it mean there was a mutiny. It is an incident caused by a fire at the munitions depot." Crews are cleaning up what’s left of houses, walls, and windows that collapsed or were blown out.
Does it sound like the government is being lackadaisical or is this the best they can do as citizens look for outside help? Also, is this story about an arms dump causing this level of mayhem believable?
