Russia blast: Multiple explosions rock arsenal storing ‘millions’ of shells as hundreds fight blaze

Published time: June 18, 2013 17:11 
Edited time: June 19, 2013 05:43

Huge explosions have ripped through a munitions depot in Russia’s Samara Region where over 13 million shells were stored. More than 1,500 firefighters were deployed to combat the blaze, and thousands of locals were evacuated.

Local authorities declared a state of emergency after artillery shells began exploding at an ammunition depot about 15 kilometers from the city of Chapaevsk. The first blast was heard at around 15:00 GMT on Tuesday, with further detonations rocking the area through the night.

Firefighters initially had difficulty reaching the blaze, as shell shards were scattering around the area. The depot housed some 13 million shells of various calibers at the time the explosions began.

Nearly 6,000 of these rounds were 122-millimeter artillery shells, and the rest were 23- and 30mm anti-aircraft shells, the Emergencies Ministry reported. A self-detonated artillery shell may travel as far as 1.5 kilometers before exploding, the ministry warned, urging civilians to avoid the area. The facility also had a number of 80mm rocket launcher rounds, which are stored in a separate secure depot.

No fatalities were reported in the incident as of Wednesday morning. Nine people were taken to hospital, while 24 others required on-site medical attention and were released afterwards, the ministry said. The local Investigative Committee reported that 11 people had been admitted to hospitals and 37 others required treatment.

Police have cordoned off the area, and ordered at least 6,500 people from a nearby community to evacuate. Rescuers used an armored vehicle to pick up a depot staffer near the epicenter of the fire –well within the area threatened by the exploding ammo.

More than 1,500 firefighters and rescuers with 240 vehicles were deployed to fight the blaze. The Emergencies Ministry also dispatched two planes with robot-equipped bomb disposal experts. Rescuers monitored the area with reconnaissance drones overnight before ruling that it was safe to send in crews.

FULL STORY: http://rt.com/news/ammunition-depot-blasts-russia-888/