3 min readUpdated: May 31, 2026 11:10 PM IST
Mynamar was rocked by a powerful blast on Sunday when explosives stored allegedly for mining caught fire, killing more than 45 people, including children. At least another 70 people were reported injured.
Rescue workers and independent media reports located the explosion in the village of Kaungtup, in Namhkam township, which is about 3 km south of the Chinese border.
The Ta’ang National Liberation Army, an ethnic armed group that has engaged in sporadic fighting against Myanmar’s central government, controls the area.
A rescue worker who rushed to the site of the blast told The Associated Press that 46 bodies, including six children, had been recovered by Sunday evening and taken for cremation.
A serious #explosion occurred at noon on Sunday in Kaungtat village in Nankham township, #Myanmar. Thick smoke rose from the blast site, and several buildings were damaged. Local #fire and rescue teams have arrived at the scene to assist. The cause of the incident and details… pic.twitter.com/KNtYq4NelL
— CCTV Asia Pacific (@CCTVAsiaPacific) May 31, 2026
Multiple rescuer told AP on condition of anonymity that 74 injured people had been transported to the township hospital, with the rescue operations still underway. More than 100 houses near the blast site were also damaged.
Media outlets from Myanmar, including Shan State’s online Shwe Phee Myay news agency, reported death tolls between 50 and 55, with accompanying photos and videos showing smoke from the explosion and damaged buildings and debris in its aftermath.
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported the explosion caused multiple deaths and injuries, with many residential houses severely damaged. It said preliminary investigations showed that the blast occurred at a site where large quantities of explosives used for mining operations were stored. Local authorities are currently providing relief, medical care and resettlement assistance to affected residents, said the report.
Investigation underway
The Ta’ang National Liberation Army, or TNLA, said in a statement released on its Telegram channel that gelignite had been stored by the group’s economic department for use in mining and stone quarrying sites, and that an investigation into the cause of the explosion is underway.
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Gelignite is widely used in mining and rock blasting, but can become highly unstable over time and if poorly stored.
The TNLA is a member of the rebel Three Brotherhood Alliance, and has controlled the Namhkam area since the alliance and its allies launched a major offensive against the military in northeastern Myanmar in late 2023. The alliance members and other ethnic armed groups have long fought for increased autonomy, AP reported.
With inputs from agencies
