Pray for Peace

U.S. Embassy Addis Ababa
Warden Message
Gas Station Explosions
April 16, 2008

The U.S. Embassy has received reports of two separate explosions in the
early evening of April 14 at two petrol stations in Addis Ababa. Initial
reports indicate that as many as three people were killed and as many as
16 - 19 people injured as a result of the two explosions. One of the
explosions occurred at the National Oil Company (NOC) station in the
vicinity of the Lem Hotel on Haile Gabre Selassie; the other occurred at
another NOC station in the vicinity of the Imperial Hotel. The first
explosion is said to have occurred at approximately 18:45; the second
occurred approximately 10 to 15 minutes later. While the cause of the
explosions have yet to be determined, the fact that the explosions
occurred at close to the same time and at similar service stations,
suggests these may have been targeted incidents. Ethiopian authorities
are investigating the cause of the explosions.