Rutana : two brothers die after a grenade found at their family home exploded

SOS Médias Burundi

Rutana, July 24, 2020—Two teenagers, aged 17 years and 14 years, died Thursday when a grenade they were handling exploded at their family home in the town of Rutana, Burunga province, in southeastern Burundi. Authorities are urging the public to hand over any weapons or explosive devices still in their homes to the security forces to prevent further tragedies.

The tragedy occurred on Thursday, July 23, 2026, around 1 p.m., in the Birongozi neighborhood of Rutana.

According to initial findings, John Kelly Nkurunziza, 17 years old, and Audry Irangabiye, 14 years old, were allegedly handling a grenade found at their family home before it exploded.

One of the brothers died at the scene, while the other succumbed to his injuries in the emergency room of Rutana Hospital.

An investigation at the scene revealed two pools of blood, a hammer, and the grenade’s safety ring behind the family home. Initial findings indicate that the two teenagers were handling the explosive device before it detonated.

The two victims were the children of Ildéphonse Nkurunziza, a police officer stationed in Nyanza, also in Burunga province, and Alice Nshimirimana.

Following this tragedy, the Rutana administration issued an appeal to anyone still in possession of a weapon or explosive device to hand them over immediately to law enforcement to prevent further loss of life.

This tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the dangers associated with keeping or handling weapons and explosives in the home. Simply handling an explosive device can cost a life in seconds.