By Charles Mangwiro

MAPUTO, June 14 (Reuters) - A mortar left over from a devastating Mozambique armory blast exploded in a Maputo suburb killing three children, an official said on Thursday.

It was among those yet to be collected following the March explosion, which killed 105 people when it sent rockets and artillery shells raining down on populated areas around Mozambique's capital.

National Defense spokesman Joaquim Mataruca said the 82 centimetre mortar blew up in a yard where the children were playing in the suburb of Magoanine on Wednesday.

"The children set it on fire when they found in the yard while playing, two died on the spot and the third on arrival at the hospital," Mataruca said.

The armoury blast spurred public anger in Mozambique, where people accused the government of failing to adequately dispose of tonnes of weaponry left over from the country's civil war in the 1970s and 1980s.

The government has since said the blasts were triggered by high temperatures.

About 20 tonnes of military equipment was stored at the military site. More than 4,000 explosives landed in people's yards and homes, some of which were completely destroyed.

Mataruca said Wednesday's explosion was a setback for the ministry, which had earlier assured the public it was finished collecting the unexploded ordinance.

"It's very unfortunate that it happened just as we are drawing a balance sheet of our activities which we regarded as over. Now it means we still have more work ahead of us", he said.

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