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The
explosion at the West African nation's main oil terminal rocked
the Kaloum administrative district in downtown Conakry, blowing
out the windows of several nearby homes and forcing hundreds to
flee, according to a Reuters witness.
A huge fire and billowing black smoke were seen from miles away
as firefighters rushed to the area, while several tanker trucks
left the depot, escorted by soldiers and police.
Guinea is not an oil producer and has no oil refining capacity.
It imports refined products, which are mostly stored in the
Kaloum terminal and distributed via trucks across the country.
The extent of the damage to the terminal is unclear for now.
The country has a small oil depot at the port in Kamsar, north
of Conakry, which is mostly used by mining firms.
Later on Monday, a thick column of smoke and some flames were
still visible after firefighters brought the fire under control.
The origin of the fire was unknown, the government said in a
statement, adding that an investigation will be launched to
establish the cause and determine who might be responsible.
"The Government expresses its deep concern about this event, the
scale and consequences of which could have a direct impact on
the population," the statement said.
It urged people to stay at home and said the schools will be
closed on Monday.
(Reporting by Saliou Samb; writing by Bate Felix and Anait
Miridzhanian; editing by Michael Perry, Jason Neely and Gerry
Doyle)
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