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Submitted by ctv_en_6 on Sat, 09/18/2010 - 11:54
Three containers filled with explosives meant for road construction detonated outside a police station in eastern Sri Lanka, killing 25 people, most of them police officers, in a blast government officials called an accident.

Military spokesman Maj. Gen. Ubaya Medawala said he initially feared, incorrectly, that the death toll was as high as 60, in light of the enormity of the damage caused by Friday's blast.

"There was a big blast and smoke all over, that's all. I didn't know what was happening," said S. Vathany, 42, a farmer.

Medawala said it was unclear what triggered the explosion of the containers, which were stored by the police station in the Batticaloa district for safety reasons.

The explosives, probably dynamite, were intended for blasting out rocks for a road construction project being carried out by a Chinese company, he said.

From time to time, workers came to the police premises remove small amounts of explosives from the containers. The blast occurred when the workers were taking out some of the explosives, Medawala said.

The blast killed 16 policemen and nine civilians - including two Chinese citizens - and wounded 52 others, he said. Among the civilian casualties were farmers visiting the agriculture office and passers by.

AP

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