By Abdul Gafar Alabelewe, Kaduna,The Nation

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An explosion at the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) factory in Kaduna yesterday killed one person and injured four others.

The incident, which occurred around 10 am at the corporation’s ordnance disposal pit in Kurmin Gwari area of Kaduna metropolis, was linked to expired raw materials used in arms production.

Residents said the deafening blast shook buildings and sent panic across the neighbourhood. “I heard a very big blast, it shook the surrounding buildings. People were running, thinking it was a bomb explosion,” a resident told our correspondent.

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.

An eyewitness said the explosion involved primer powder and other volatile substances. “It killed a military officer on the spot and injured four civilian staff who are in critical condition,” he recounted.

When our correspondent visited St. Gerard Hospital shortly after the blast, sympathisers, relatives and DICON staff were seen trooping in, some in tears.

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Confirming the incident, DICON’s Public Relations Officer, Maria Sambo, said the explosion occurred during the disposal of expired ordnance.

According to her, “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 on 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 added that the injured staff were receiving treatment at the 44 Army Reference Hospital, while the remains of the deceased 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,” the statement read.

The management also disclosed that a board of inquiry had been constituted to determine the immediate cause of the blast.