More than 200 people were injured after a major fire tore through a fuel depot in eastern Chad, authorities said Wednesday, prompting the government to order the relocation of fuel storage facilities outside urban areas.
The blaze erupted Tuesday night at a large oil depot in Abeche, the capital of Ouaddai province, according to local officials.
Chadian Deputy Prime Minister Limane Mahamat visited the disaster site alongside other government officials on Wednesday to assess the damage and meet victims receiving treatment in hospitals.
Health authorities said at least 206 people were injured in the fire and were being treated at various medical facilities across the city.
Abdoulmahmoud Chine, the health delegate for Ouaddai province, said a further 53 people remained under medical observation following the incident.
He added that several victims were showing signs of improvement.
Authorities did not immediately provide details on the cause of the fire or whether there had been any fatalities.
During the visit, Mahamat expressed sympathy to victims and their families and pledged government support for those affected.
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He also ordered local authorities to relocate all fuel depots located within Abeche to areas outside the city limits within 10 days, citing safety concerns.
The incident has renewed concerns over the storage and handling of fuel products in densely populated urban centres in several African countries, where weak enforcement of safety regulations and poor infrastructure have contributed to deadly industrial accidents.
Fuel depot fires and tanker explosions have caused numerous casualties across the continent in recent years, often linked to unsafe storage practices, overcrowding and inadequate emergency response systems.
Abeche, one of Chad’s largest cities, serves as a major commercial and transport hub in the country’s east and hosts important trade links with neighbouring Sudan.
Emergency services and local authorities continued monitoring the situation on Wednesday as investigations into the incident got underway.
The government has not yet announced the scale of damage to surrounding property or infrastructure.
Analysts say the disaster may increase pressure on authorities to strengthen urban planning rules and improve oversight of hazardous fuel storage facilities nationwide.
