Scores evacuated after Russia arms depot fire

MOSCOW: One person was missing on Tuesday and several more were injured ater a fire and huge explosions at a Siberian ammunition depot, as thousands of evacuated residents waited to return to their homes.

Monday’s fire at the depot holding gunpowder charges for artillery shells near the town of Achinsk in the Krasnoyarsk region was the latest accident to hit Russia’s military.

Witnesses have posted footage on the Internet showing a huge column of black smoke rising over a forest.

By Tuesday, the explosions had largely stopped but it was too early for residents to return home as the army had to de-mine the affected residential areas, officials said.

Deputy Defence Minister Dmitry Bulgakov said 70 sappers had arrived at the scene to help with the clean-up effort.

He said in televised remarks that said that “human error” was believed to have caused the accident. Four people including two servicemen had been injured, he added.

Krasnoyarsk Governor Alexander Uss said that one person was missing and a total of 12 people had sought medical assistance.

More than 9,500 people were evacuated from Achinsk and adjacent areas and another 6,000 people let on their own, regional officials said.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said the explosions ended early on Tuesday and 10 heavy-lit transport planes and 8 helicopters began dropping water on the depot.

The Emergencies Ministry said that 9,533 people have been evacuated from the area 20 kilometers from the depot and about 7,000 fled on their own as massive explosions sent plumes of black smoke high into the skies.

Officials said on Tuesday that 12 people were injured and one person is missing and feared dead.

The authorities suspended air traffic within 30 kilometers of the munitions site, halted train movement and blocked highways around the area.

They lited the air traffic ban on Tuesday ater the explosions ended.

Officials didn’t immediately announce the cause of the fire, the latest in a series of blazes at Russian military arsenals over the past few years.

Regional authorities said the ammunition depot lies just outside the village of Kamenka.

The depot has been cordoned off and servicemen have taken refuge in a bomb-proof shelter.

Authorities plan to evacuate around 11,000 people, Russia 24 news channel reported.