Congo Airport Blast Toll Climbs to 101
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KINSHASA, Congo — The death toll from a string of airport blasts rose to 101, the government said Sunday, as most rescuers ended the search for bodies in the wreckage of a hangar that collapsed in the explosions.
Hospital authorities said 216 people were injured in the blasts Friday at the Ndjili international airport in Kinshasa, the capital. About 80 were in critical condition Sunday, government officials said.
Rescue officials, who said they ended the search because of a lack of tools, water and food, had said Saturday that they feared 100 people were still trapped in the hangar, which is used by customs and tax officials to handle incoming cargo from Europe. It was not known how many people were missing Sunday evening.
The reasons for the blasts remained murky. Explanations ranged from a short circuit to a soldier dropping ammunition while unloading a plane of weapons.
The explosions shattered windows, toppled buildings and flung deadly debris several miles.
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