An explosion at a steel processing facility in Douala, Cameroon, has claimed the lives of at least four people and left 16 others seriously injured, raising renewed concerns about industrial safety and workplace protection in the country’s manufacturing sector.
The incident occurred on Monday morning, 2 November 2026, at the Metafrique Steel facility in the Bassa Industrial Park. The explosion triggered a fire that spread through parts of the plant before emergency responders brought it under control.
According to Littoral Region Governor Samuel Dieudonné Ivaha Diboua, rescue teams recovered four bodies from the site, while 16 injured workers were transported to Douala General Hospital for medical treatment. The victims reportedly sustained severe burns, with authorities expressing concern about the seriousness of their injuries.
Metafrique Steel, a manufacturing and trading company based in Douala, confirmed that its facilities had been affected by the incident. In a statement, the company described the explosion as an incident caused by an external factor, adding that the exact circumstances and causes had yet to be established.
The latest incident has also drawn attention to the facility’s previous fire. In May 2026, another fire at the plant reportedly left 10 people injured, prompting temporary production suspension and calls for stronger safety measures.
Following the latest explosion, Governor Diboua raised concerns about compliance with safety requirements imposed after the earlier incident. Authorities have indicated that an investigation will be conducted to establish the cause of the explosion and determine whether appropriate safety measures were implemented. The possibility of suspending the plant’s operations has also been raised.
Metafrique Steel operates in Cameroon’s metal-processing industry, recycling ferrous scrap to manufacture steel products, including reinforcing bars used in construction. Its operations form part of the country’s broader industrial and infrastructure supply chain.
The incident highlights the importance of effective safety management, regular equipment inspections and strict adherence to industrial operating standards, particularly in facilities involving high-temperature metal processing and heavy industrial machinery.
As investigations continue, attention will remain on the circumstances surrounding the explosion, the condition of the injured workers and the measures required to prevent similar incidents at industrial facilities across the region.
