One Killed, Four Injured as Explosion Rocks DICON in Kaduna
An explosion at the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) factory in Kaduna on Saturday claimed the life of a military officer and left four civilian staff critically injured.
The incident occurred around 10 a.m. at the corporation’s ordnance disposal pit in Kurmin Gwari, Kaduna metropolis. It was linked to expired raw materials used in arms production.
Residents described the blast as deafening, with the shockwave shaking nearby buildings and sparking panic in the community. “I heard a very big blast, it shook the surrounding buildings. People were running, thinking it was a bomb explosion,” a resident recounted.
The victims, who were on weekend duty, were initially rushed to St. Gerard Catholic Hospital, Kakuri, before being evacuated by military ambulance to the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital.
Eyewitnesses said the explosion involved volatile substances, including primer powder, and killed a soldier instantly while injuring four civilian staff.
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When reporters visited St. Gerard Hospital shortly after the incident, relatives, sympathisers, and DICON staff trooped in, some in tears.
Confirming the incident, DICON’s Public Relations Officer, Maria Sambo, said the blast occurred during the disposal of expired ordnance materials.
“Some old storage bunkers used to store raw materials contained several expired items, including Ammonium Nitrate, primer caps and propellants. Since July, efforts had been ongoing to safely destroy them, and most had already been disposed of. Unfortunately, an accident occurred while specialists were concluding the disposal of the remaining materials,” she explained.
Sambo added that the injured staff were receiving treatment at the 44 Army Reference Hospital, while the remains of the deceased officer had been deposited at the mortuary.
“While commiserating with staff, families, and friends of the deceased and wishing the injured a quick recovery, DICON assures the public that the situation is under control and there is no cause for panic. The neighbouring community can go about their normal activities as the remaining materials have been made safe,” she said.
DICON also disclosed that a Board of Inquiry has been set up to investigate the immediate cause of the explosion.
By PRNigeria
