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The blast, which happened at about 10 am at the corporation’s ordnance disposal site in the Kurmin Gwari area of Kaduna metropolis, was attributed to expired raw materials used in arms manufacturing.
Residents reported that the loud detonation shook buildings and caused panic in the community. “I heard a very big blast; it shook the surrounding buildings. People were running, thinking it was a bomb explosion,” a resident told our correspondent.
The victims, who were on weekend duty, were first taken to St. Gerard Catholic Hospital, Kakuri, before being moved by military ambulance to the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital.
An eyewitness explained that the explosion involved primer powder and other unstable substances. “It killed a military officer on the spot and injured four civilian staff, who are in critical condition,” he recounted.
When our correspondent visited St. Gerard Hospital shortly after the incident, sympathisers, relatives, and DICON staff were seen arriving in large numbers, some weeping.
Confirming the incident, DICON’s Public Relations Officer, Maria Sambo, said the blast occurred during the disposal of expired ordnance.
According to her, “Some old storage bunkers used to store raw materials contained several expired items, including ammonium nitrate, primer caps and propellants. Since July, efforts had been made to safely destroy them, and most had already been disposed of. Unfortunately, an accident occurred while specialists were concluding the disposal of the remaining materials.”
She further stated that the injured staff were being treated at the 44 Army Reference Hospital, while the deceased’s body had been placed in the mortuary.
“While commiserating with staff, families and friends of the deceased and wishing the injured a quick recovery, DICON assures the public that the situation is under control and there is no cause for panic. The neighbouring community can go about their normal activities as the remaining materials have been made safe,” the statement read.
The management also revealed that a Board of Inquiry has been set up to establish the immediate cause of the explosion.
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