Four workers died and 16 were badly burned in the blast at Metafrique Steel in Douala, the second deadly incident at the site since April.

Authorities in Cameroon are investigating an explosion at Metafrique Steel in Douala that killed four workers and left 16 others with severe burns, as the regional governor calls for the factory to stop operating.

Governor calls for Metafrique Steel to halt operations

Littoral Region Governor Samuel Dieudonné Ivaha Diboua called for the plant’s operations to be halted after visiting the facility and injured workers at Douala General Hospital on Monday.

He accused the company of failing to implement safety requirements issued after an earlier fire at the same site in April.

Although the governor called for the plant to cease operations, reports differ on whether a formal closure order has been issued.

What happened at the Douala steel plant

The explosion occurred shortly after 7 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 2, at the factory in the Bassa industrial zone. The blast triggered a fire that spread through parts of the facility.

Rescue teams recovered four bodies. The 16 injured workers were taken to the hospital with serious burns, and the governor warned that their condition was critical.

The company acknowledged that the incident caused deaths and damage to its premises but said it originated from an external factor. It said the circumstances had not yet been established.

A second fire since April

The explosion follows another fire at the factory in late April, which also caused casualties and prompted authorities to issue safety instructions and temporarily halt production.

The repeat incident has intensified scrutiny of safety practices at the site. An investigation is expected to establish what caused Monday’s explosion and whether earlier safety requirements were followed.