An explosion tore through an explosives storage building in Kaung Tat village, Namhkam Township, Shan State, Myanmar around noon on May 31, killing between 38 and 59 people and injuring about 70 more [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]. The village lies near the Chinese border, 2 to 3 kilometers south of China [1, 3, 4, 8].

The site is controlled by the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), an ethnic armed group. The blast was caused by an accidental detonation of explosives stored for mining and quarrying operations run by the TNLA, according to initial investigations by the group [1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8]. The TNLA said, "Because of this explosion, many local villagers lost their lives and suffered injuries and damage to their homes" [6].

The explosion destroyed or severely damaged many houses in the village, with residents reporting widespread devastation. Moe Z, a Kaung Tat villager, said, "It’s as if the entire village has just vanished. Over half of the village’s houses have been destroyed. The houses near the centre of the blast were blown completely to pieces" [3]. Another resident recalled, "People were crying, calling out for their parents. It felt as if the world had come to an end" [1].

The casualties included women, men, and children, with bodies scattered and some still trapped under rubble [1, 2, 3, 6, 8]. Rescue operations were ongoing as of June 1, with search teams looking for survivors amid the destruction [1, 3, 4, 5, 8].

Death toll estimates vary. Some sources report at least 38 to 40 dead [4, 7], while others put it at 55 to 59 victims [1, 3, 8]. Estimates range from 46 to 59 in other reports [2, 6]. Approximately 70 people were injured [1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]. The village name also appears as Kaungtup in some reports [4, 7, 8].

The TNLA funds some of its weapons and mines through local mining of precious minerals including ruby and rare earths [3, 5, 6]. Myanmar has been in civil war since the 2021 military coup, with the TNLA among several ethnic armed groups fighting for autonomy [2, 3, 5, 6].

The TNLA said it has launched an investigation into the exact cause of the accidental detonation [2, 4, 5, 6, 8]. Rescue efforts continued on June 1 as authorities searched for survivors under the rubble in Kaung Tat village.