In ENGLISH | РУС/УКР
Sign in | Register
Mobile version | Subscription | RSS Archive
KyivPost

Huge ammunition explosion rocks Russian city

Print version
Oct. 9, 2012, 6:40 p.m. | Russia and former Soviet Union — by Reuters

Smoke from an explosion rises outside the city of Orenburg as fire fighters cars are parked aside on Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2012. A series of explosions has rocked a Russian military test site, releasing giant clouds of smoke over Orenburg near the Kazakhstan border and causing aftershocks.
© AP

SEE ALSO

MOSCOW - An explosion at a weapons disposal site in central Russia on Tuesday blew windows shut in a city 30 kilometres away but preliminary reports indicated no one was hurt, according to the government and witnesses.

Some 4,000 tonnes of ammunition accidentally detonated as it was being unloaded by soldiers at the site, near the city of Orenbourg, Russia's Investigative Committee said in a statement, adding that it was investigating possible negligence.

There were no casualties, according to preliminary information, the Ministry of Emergencies said. Authorities evacuated three villages and declared a state of emergency, the ministry said.

Television footage taken from the centre of Orenbourg showed a white mushroom cloud billowing from the site some 30 kilometres away. Witnesses said the blast had blown shut windows in the industrial city, which is about 1,500 kilometres east of Moscow.

Explosions at sites to store or dispose of ammunition have plagued the Russian army, accused by critics of negligence or lax compliance with regulations more than 20 years after the fall of the Soviet Union. An explosion at an ammunition disposal site in central Russia killed six soldiers and injured four on May 2.

READ MORE IN SECTION
The Kyiv Post is hosting comments to foster lively debate. Criticism is fine, but stick to the issues. Comments that include profanity or personal attacks will be removed from the site. If you think that a posted comment violates these standards, please flag it and alert us. We will take steps to block violators.
Advertising link

KyivPost

© 1995–2012 Public Media

Web links to Kyiv Post material are allowed provided that they contain a URL hyperlink to the www.kyivpost.com material and a maximum 500-character extract of the story. Otherwise, all materials contained on this site are protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced without the prior written permission of Public Media at news@kyivpost.com
All information of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency placed on this web site is designed for internal use only. Its reproduction or distribution in any form is prohibited without a written permission of Interfax-Ukraine.