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New Delhi: More than 45 people were killed and around 70 others were injured in a huge explosion at a building reportedly used to store mining explosives in northeastern Myanmar on Sunday, according to the Associated Press (AP), citing rescue workers and local media reports. The blast took place around noon in Kaungtup village in Namhkam township, located about three kilometres south of the border with China.

The area is under the control of the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), an ethnic armed group engaged in conflict with Myanmar’s military-led government. The exact cause of the explosion was not immediately known. However, reports indicated that the building contained explosives used for mining operations.

A rescue worker involved in the operation told AP that 46 bodies had been recovered by Sunday evening. Among the victims were six children. The bodies were later taken for cremation, according to the rescuer, who requested anonymity due to security concerns. The same rescue worker said 74 injured people had been transported to the township hospital for treatment. Rescue operations continued as authorities searched the site for additional victims.

Another rescue worker in Namhkam said around 40 people had died in the explosion and more than 100 houses near the blast site suffered damage. The rescuer, who also requested anonymity, said the powerful explosion caused widespread destruction in the surrounding area.

Officials have not yet announced the cause of the explosion. Authorities are expected to investigate whether the storage and handling of mining explosives contributed to the incident. The blast is among the deadliest industrial-related accidents reported in the conflict-affected region in recent years.