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16 killed, 76 injured in Benin's dump site tragedy: official

Source: Xinhua   2016-09-15 18:38:28            

COTONOU, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- At least 16 people were killed and 76 others injured in an explosion that occurred on Sept. 8 at a dump site in Tori-Avame, some 30 kilometers from Benin's capital, Cotonou, according to Secretary General to the Presidency Pascal Koupaki.

Addressing the press in Cotonou on Wednesday, Koupaki said the tragedy occurred due to professional negligence and violation of laid down regulations.

"Preliminary investigations show the operation was fraudulent for two reasons; first, the absence of necessary approval for the activities that were being conducted, non-respect for the procedures for destruction of spoiled goods and finally the operation was not secured against possible risks," he said.

Koupaki said the government had sacked three senior officers, including the concerned region's police chief, for neglecting their duties, something that led to the tragedy.

Besides this punishment, he continued, the government had instructed the justice minister to accelerate judicial inquiry and open cases against anyone who might have been involved in the tragedy.

Residents of Tori invaded Tori-Avame dump site to collect bags of spoiled flour which were being burnt by a team comprised of the national police and the gendarmerie, under the supervision of a judicial officer and a representative of the customs authorities.

Immediately after the departure of the team from the dump site, hundreds of local residents rushed to the site to take away the flour, but the explosion occurred soon after.

Editor: xuxin
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16 killed, 76 injured in Benin's dump site tragedy: official

Source: Xinhua 2016-09-15 18:38:28

COTONOU, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- At least 16 people were killed and 76 others injured in an explosion that occurred on Sept. 8 at a dump site in Tori-Avame, some 30 kilometers from Benin's capital, Cotonou, according to Secretary General to the Presidency Pascal Koupaki.

Addressing the press in Cotonou on Wednesday, Koupaki said the tragedy occurred due to professional negligence and violation of laid down regulations.

"Preliminary investigations show the operation was fraudulent for two reasons; first, the absence of necessary approval for the activities that were being conducted, non-respect for the procedures for destruction of spoiled goods and finally the operation was not secured against possible risks," he said.

Koupaki said the government had sacked three senior officers, including the concerned region's police chief, for neglecting their duties, something that led to the tragedy.

Besides this punishment, he continued, the government had instructed the justice minister to accelerate judicial inquiry and open cases against anyone who might have been involved in the tragedy.

Residents of Tori invaded Tori-Avame dump site to collect bags of spoiled flour which were being burnt by a team comprised of the national police and the gendarmerie, under the supervision of a judicial officer and a representative of the customs authorities.

Immediately after the departure of the team from the dump site, hundreds of local residents rushed to the site to take away the flour, but the explosion occurred soon after.

[Editor: huaxia]
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