Emergency workers continue fight to contain depot fires in Congo

International and local emergency workers in the Republic of Congo are struggling to prevent raging fires at a weapons depot from reaching a second arms storage in the capital, Brazzaville. On Sunday, huge blasts at a munitions depot killed 206 people and left 1,000 injured in the capital city. The fire raged on and prompted more explosions on Monday, killing 7 more people. The blasts destroyed many buildings including two churches and a hospital and shattered windows as far as 10 kilometers away across the Congo River in the city of Kinshasa, the capital of the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo. "For the time being, there are Russian, French and Congolese experts in the field who are trying to put out the fires. Their goal is to prevent the fires reaching a second depot of even heavier weapons," said Delphin Kibakidi, a spokesman for the local Red Cross. Continuous explosions and blazes hindered efforts to rescue hundreds of people believed to be trapped under the rubble from the explosions. Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso declared a curfew in Brazzaville and cordoned off the area around the devastated eastern district of Mpila. The government said an electrical short-circuit likely ignited the fire which set off the initial series of the blasts. Brazzaville has issued an appeal for further international assistance. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he was "profoundly saddened by the loss of human life" and said the international body would provide help for the Republic of Congo with recovery efforts. The Chinese embassy in Brazzaville said that at least six Chinese construction workers were among the dead.