51 killed in explosives plant blast

A blast ripped through an explosives manufacturing plant at a copper mine in Zambia today, killing at least 51 people, authorities said today.

Government investigators said today it was still unclear how many people were working at the plant at the time of the explosion yesterday morning. The cause of the blast was under investigation.

The company, BGRIMM Explosives of China, said its records showed 72 people were in the plant at the time of the blast. However, government officials did not have exact records of the number of casual or temporary workers employed at the site about 245 miles north of Lusaka.

The force of the blast destroyed the plant that provides explosives to copper mines in the region.

State television showed horrific footage of workers collecting body parts from the rubble.

President Levy Mwanawasa appointed a four-man ministerial team to conduct an initial investigation and report to him before a commission of inquiry is set up to do a complete investigation.