Guinea’s Authorities Close Schools After Oil Depot Explosion

A huge explosion at the main oil terminal in Guinea’s capital Conakry has killed at least eight people and wounded dozens, officials say.

The explosion blew out the windows of nearby houses in downtown Conakry, and hundreds of residents fled the area, eyewitnesses said.

Guinea’s military authorities have however ordered the closure of all schools in the capital following an explosion at an oil terminal early on Monday.

The blast at the main hydrocarbon depot of the Guinea Oil Company in the Kaloum neighbourhood of Conakry caused a huge fire, forcing residents to flee the area.

No death toll has been confirmed but a senior police officer told the Reuters news agency that at least eight people were killed and 84 others injured in the incident.

The junta has ordered all private and public schools in the area to be shut and urged workers to stay home.

“Public and private sector workers, with the exception of the defence and security forces and those from the medical profession, are urged to stay at home,” the statement added.

It also said all petrol stations except for emergency services should be closed in the area.

The cause of the fire is unknown, authorities said, and its “scale and consequences could have a direct impact on the population”.

The government has urged people in the immediate area “to move away from the site” and assured that resources had been deployed to contain the fire and minimise its consequences.