At least 55 people were reportedly killed in a blast in Myanmar ‘s Kaung Tat village, which a rebel army said was caused by the accidental explosion of material stored for use in mining.
The Kuang Tat village is situated about 3 kilometers south of the Chinese border, which is under the control of the Ta’ang National Liberation Army.
Explosions And Smoke
The Ta’ang National Liberation Army, which is currently in a ceasefire with the Myanmar military and controls the village near the Chinese border, said there had been fatalities, without saying how many.
The BBC and local news outlet Shwe Phee Myay News Agency said the deaths included 25 women and 30 men, and that dozens more were wounded.
Several houses were damaged in the blast at around 12:30pm Myanmar local time (05:50 GMT) and rescue operations were reportedly ongoing.
Video shared on social media showed an enormous plume of smoke, followed by secondary explosions. Other images showed several buildings completely destroyed.
Investigation Underway
BBC reported that footage from the scene shows a vast crater of earth and rubble surrounded by shattered buildings, with smoke still drifting from charred debris and twisted trees.
“The Palaung State Liberation Front/TNLA expresses its deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives, were injured, and suffered damage as a result of the explosion,” the group said in a Telegram post.
It said the incident was being investigated and that anyone found responsible would be held accountable. It added that relief, healthcare and rehabilitation for the families affected by the blast would be provided as soon as possible.
Al Jazeera reported that the armed wing of the Palaung Self Liberation Front, the TNLA is one of three ethnic armed groups that make up the Three Brotherhood Alliance, which has been waging an armed rebellion against Myanmar’s military government.
(with inputs from Reuters)
