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CONAKRY. – The death toll from a blast at an oil terminal in Guinea’s capital Conakry yesterday has risen to 13, a senior police source said, as the government warned the incident could have repercussions for the wider population.

The explosion at the West African nation’s main oil terminal rocked the Kaloum administrative district in downtown Conakry early in the morning, blowing out the windows of nearby homes and forcing hundreds to flee, according to a witness.

The head of civil protection, Jean Traore, said 88 people were injured. He earlier gave a death toll of 11.

The extent of the damage to the terminal was unclear. Guinea is not an oil producer and has no refining capacity. It imports refined products, mostly stored in the Kaloum terminal and distributed via trucks across the country.

The origin of the fire was unknown, and an investigation would be launched to determine what caused it and any parties responsible, the government said in a statement.

It said the scale of the incident “could have a direct impact on the population,” but did not elaborate.

Firefighters had largely contained the blaze by yesterday afternoon. Earlier, a massive fire and billowing black smoke were visible from miles away, as several tanker trucks left the Conakry depot, escorted by soldiers and police.

Workers, excluding defence, security and medical personnel, were advised to stay at home. Schools and most fuel service stations were also closed. – AFP