At least eight killed in Guinea oil terminal blast

At least eight people were killed and 84 injured after a blast at an oil terminal in Guinea's capital, Conakry, early on December 18, a senior police officer said, adding that the blaze was being contained, Report informs referring to Reuters.

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

A huge fire and billowing black smoke were seen from miles away as firefighters rushed to the area, while several tanker trucks left the depot, escorted by soldiers and police.

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

The country has a small oil depot at the port in Kamsar, north of Conakry, which is mostly used by mining firms.