9 dead, 46 injured in Chad explosion

YAOUNDE -- At least nine people have been killed and 46 others injured following an explosion at an ammunition warehouse in Chad's capital, N'Djamena, the country's Minister of Public Health, Abdelmadjid Abderrahim said on Wednesday.

The cause of the fire and explosions, which occurred late Tuesday, is not yet known, Abderrahim told a press conference.

Local media reported that civilians, including children, were among the victims.

Early Wednesday, Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno visited those injured and the disaster site, located at the city's Goudji neighborhood.

"The situation is under control. The state will take care of those that were injured," Deby told reporters after the visit.

"This serves as a lesson to us concerning the construction of weapons warehouses in cities. We need to abide by international norms," he said, adding that a commission has been created to investigate the tragedy.