Explosions kill at least 20 people in Equatorial Guinea

Multiple blasts rocked the military barracks in the port city of Bata Sunday, killing 20 and injuring more than 600 people. The force of the explosions ripped off the roofs of houses in the area and responders feared more people could still be missing under the rubble. The health ministry called for volunteer health workers and more blood donations. The oil-rich Central African nation located south of Cameroon is home to about 1.3 million people.

What caused the explosions? President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo blamed the military barracks’ negligence in storing explosives, dynamite, and ammunition. The defense ministry later said in a statement the fire began at the barracks’ weapons depot. Authorities evacuated people within two miles of the city, fearing the fumes could be harmful, according to a local radio station. Foreign Minister Simeón Oyono Esono Angue met with foreign ambassadors to ask for support.

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