An explosion at a building storing mining explosives killed at least 55 people and wounded more than 70 others in Kaung Tat village, Namkham Township, Shan State, northeastern Myanmar, on Sunday.
A powerful explosion occurred at a TNLA #terrorists group’s explosive warehouse in Kaung Tat village near Namhkam, northern Shan State, today at 12:30 PM. Local sources report widespread damage to nearby homes, with around 20 civilian casualties feared. #Myanmar #Terrorism pic.twitter.com/r1Xh3QeasJ
— Min Ye Kyaw Swar (@min45036) May 31, 2026
The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) confirmed the blast in a Facebook statement, attributing it to an “accidental explosion” of stockpiled mining and quarrying materials. “Because of this explosion, many local villagers lost their lives and suffered injuries and damage to their homes,” the group said. The TNLA added that an investigation was under way and those responsible would be held accountable.
Rescue workers said 46 bodies had been recovered by Sunday evening, including six children, and taken for cremation, The Associated Press reported.
A separate rescue worker told the independent Myanmar news outlet Shwe Phee Myay that the death toll had reached 55. More than 100 homes in the surrounding area were damaged.
A powerful explosion occurred at a TNLA #terrorists group’s explosive warehouse in Kaung Tat village near Namhkam, northern Shan State, today at 12:30 PM. Local sources report widespread damage to nearby homes, with around 20 civilian casualties feared. #Myanmar #Terrorism pic.twitter.com/r1Xh3QeasJ
— Min Ye Kyaw Swar (@min45036) May 31, 2026
The blast struck territory the TNLA has been publicly marketing as a mining investment destination. In July 2025, TNLA Colonel Tar Pan Hla invited Chinese and other foreign investors to develop ruby and mineral operations across the group’s territory.
AFP noted that rebel groups across Myanmar broadly rely on mining revenue to fund their campaigns, with lax safety practices making accidents a recurring problem.
The TNLA is one of three ethnic armed groups in the Three Brotherhood Alliance, which launched a major offensive against Myanmar’s military junta following the 2021 coup. Kaung Tat sits approximately three kilometers south of the Chinese border.
Residents said many had initially believed the explosion was a junta air strike. One survivor, whose home was destroyed, described narrowly escaping death because she was in her bedroom rather than her kitchen when the blast hit. “People were crying, calling out for their parents,” she wrote on social media. “It felt as if the world had come to an end.”
Casualty figures have not been independently verified and may change as rescue operations continue.
