An explosion that occurred this Sunday, 31, in a building in northeastern Myanmar, which allegedly stored explosives for mining, killed more than 45 people, according to rescue teams and independent media reports.
Around 70 other people were injured in the explosion that occurred around noon (local time) in Kaungtup village in Namhkam municipality.
The area, located about 3 kilometers south of the Chinese border, is under the control of the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, an ethnic armed group that has engaged in sporadic fighting against Myanmar’s central government.
A rescuer who worked at the site of the explosion told the Associated Press that 46 bodies, including six children, had been recovered by Sunday evening and taken for cremation.
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The rescuer, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said 74 injured people were taken to the municipal hospital and that rescue operations were continuing.
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Another rescuer in Namhkam, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said around 40 people were killed and more than 100 houses near the blast site were damaged.
Myanmar media outlets, including the online news agency Shwe Phee Myayfrom Shan State, reported death tolls ranging from 50 to 55. They published photos and videos showing smoke from the explosion, damaged buildings and debris in the aftermath.
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that the explosion caused several deaths and injuries, with many residential homes badly damaged, but did not release figures.
According to preliminary information, the explosion occurred in a place where large quantities of explosives used in mining operations were stored.
According to the report, local authorities provide aid, medical care and resettlement assistance to affected residents.
The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) stated, in a statement released on its Telegram channel, that gelignite (explosive material) was stored by the group’s economic department for use in mines and quarries, and that an investigation into the cause of the explosion is underway.
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Gelignite is widely used in mining and rock blasting, but can become highly unstable over time and if stored improperly.
The Ta’ang National Liberation Army is a member of the Three Brotherhood Alliance, a rebel group, and has controlled the Namhkam region since the alliance and its allies launched a major offensive against the military in northeastern Myanmar in late 2023. Members of the alliance and other ethnic armed groups have long fought for greater autonomy.
The TNLA signed a ceasefire with the Myanmar military following Chinese-mediated talks in October last year, but relations remain tense.
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Myanmar has been plunged into turmoil since the army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1, 2021, triggering widespread popular opposition.
After peaceful demonstrations were suppressed with lethal force, many opponents of military rule took up arms, and large parts of the country are now embroiled in conflict.
*This content was translated with the help of Artificial Intelligence tools and reviewed by the editorial team of Estadão.
