At least two people were killed scores more injured after an explosion at a garbage dump in Benin, police told AFP on September 9. The blast happened on the evening of September 8, with the fire erupting in Tori Avame, 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Benin’s commercial hub, Cotonou. / AFP PHOTO / YANICK FOLLY
TORI, Benin (AFP) – At least two people were killed and scores more suffered severe burns after an explosion at a rubbish dump outside Cotonou in Benin, police told AFP on Friday.
The blast happened on Thursday evening, with the fire erupting in Tori Avame, around 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the country’s commercial hub.
“We recorded a total of two dead and 61 injured as a result of this tragedy that occurred in this landfill, ” said Richard Akodande, head of the accident department at Cotonou police.
“A company dumped flour and spoilt wheat and sprinkled petrol on it to burn it,” he added.
Local people flocked to areas that were not burning to try to get the flour when there was an explosion, according to one witness.
Akodande added: “Police were at the scene to try and prevent people from rushing to the products but were overwhelmed.”
Benin’s minister of interior and public safety, Sacca Lafia, called the incident “regrettable” and promised the authorities would look to take measures to prevent a reoccurence.
“To avoid this in the future we are going to find a way to close off the area and bring in a lot more security to prevent people from having access to such a dangerous place,” he added.
The dump was still smouldering nearly 24 hours after the explosion and fire, according to AFP reporters at the scene.
Waste dumps in much of West Africa are uncontrolled, with toxic materials, including electronic equipment and chemicals, regularly discarded alongside household rubbish.
Poverty forces many to scavenge and salvage for items to sell or use.
Benin’s health minister Alassane Seidou said most of those with severe burns were being treated at a specialist unit in Cotonou but additional resources were needed because of the number of injured.
Professor Pamphile Assouto, from the national university hospital in Cotonou (CHNU), said: “Burns are considered serious when they affect 20 percent of a person’s body.
“We are currently seeing patients with 90 percent, 75 percent, 60 percent,” he told reporters.