At least 11 people have been killed and more than 80 injured in an explosion at a fuel depot in Conakry, the capital of Guinea, local media have reported, citing emergency services.
The city’s two main hospitals, Ignace Deen and Donka, are said to be overwhelmed with patients in serious condition.
The early-morning incident in the former French colony blew out the windows of several nearby homes, forcing hundreds to flee, a local told Reuters.
A massive fire that erupted following the blast at the main Guinean oil terminal in the Kaloum administrative district of the capital has been contained from spreading further, according to the director of civil protection, Colonel Mohamed Camara.
He said “there were several deaths,” although the actual toll will be disclosed following an investigation, which will also determine the cause of the explosion.
As a non-oil producer, Guinea imports refined oil, which is
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