Quick facts on unplanned explosions at munitions sites (UEMS) - December 2021 update

Submitted by Lionel Kosirnik on 20 December, 2021

636 incidents of Unplanned Explosions at Munitions Sites (UEMS) took place between 1979 and December 2021, resulting in 30,883 casualties (deaths and injuries), reveals the newest update of the Small Arms Survey UEMS database. The database tracks the frequency and destructive impact of UEMS incidents—defined as the accidental explosion of abandoned, damaged, improperly stored, or properly stored stockpiles of ammunition and explosives at munitions sites.

Unplanned Explosions at Munitions Sites (UEMS)

Submitted by Olivia Denonville on 23 September, 2021

Unplanned explosions at munitions sites (UEMS) are accidental explosions of abandoned, damaged, improperly stored, or properly stored stockpiles of ammunition and explosives at munitions sites. UEMS are a persistent and global problem. They are a significant safety concern for the public and a major security challenge for states and societies. Addressing the challenge posed by UEMS requires not only putting in place effective stockpile management practices but also implementing a life-cycle management of ammunition (LCMA) system.

UEMS in Residential Areas

Submitted by Olivia Denonville on 22 September, 2021

Unplanned explosions at munitions sites (UEMS) are a global problem. The Small Arms Survey defines UEMS as the accidental explosion of stockpiles of ammunition and explosives at storage sites, whether the stockpiles are properly stored or are abandoned, damaged, or improperly stored.

Stockpiling Munitions Carries Risks. The Basic Steps That Can Stop Catastrophic Explosions

Submitted by Lionel Kosirnik on 15 September, 2021

'A series of massive blasts recently rocked Equatorial Guinea’s city of Bata. The explosions, at an army barracks, killed over 100 people and destroyed military buildings as well as people’s homes around the site. President Teodoro Obiang Nguema stated that the explosions were “caused by negligence of the unit in charge of storing explosives, dynamite and ammunition at the Nkoa Ntoma military camp”.

Small Arms Survey Podcast #23: The Dangers of Excess Munitions Stockpiles: the UEMS Handbook

Submitted by Lionel Kosirnik on 3 June, 2021

Unplanned explosions at munitions sites (UEMS) are a significant safety concern for governments and a major security challenge for the international community. The Small Arms Survey has documented more than 500 such incidents in 100 countries over the 35-year period from 1979 to 2013.

Unplanned Explosions at Munitions Sites (UEMS): Excess Stockpiles as Liabilities rather than Assets

Submitted by Lionel Kosirnik on 16 December, 2020

Unplanned explosions at munitions sites (UEMS) are a significant safety concern for governments and a major security challenge for the international community. 

This Handbook contains analysis of this data, with many helpful tables, figures, maps, and annexes. It serves three primary purposes, striving to: