Large ammunition depot explosion in Russia causes many forest fires
A fire and explosion at an artillery ammunition depot in Russia's Orenburg province occurred on the afternoon of June 11.
According to Russian news agency ITAR-TASS, only two people were slightly injured in the explosion.
People living near the area, including a children's summer camp with hundreds of children, were evacuated in time.
A large column of smoke rose from the explosion. (Source: rt.com0
However, the explosion at the ammunition depot caused at least six forest fires, although these were later brought under control.
Commander of the Russian Central Army, Colonel General Valery Gerasimov, said that by midnight on June 11 and early morning on June 12, the fire and explosion had been brought under control and did not threaten to spread to neighboring houses of forest rangers. There was absolutely no risk to residential areas because they were located 10km away from this ammunition depot.
General Gerasimov said the Russian Defense Ministry has mobilized forces and technical means to control the spread of this fire and explosion.
At least 600 people and hundreds of technical vehicles, including Be-200 and Il-76 firefighting planes and Mi-8 helicopters, were mobilized to fix the problem. Every 15 minutes, the progress of the fix as well as the situation of the explosion was reported to the commanders.
The above mentioned arsenal has a total of more than 12,000 tons of weapons including 122 and 152mm artillery shells, of which part is arranged outdoors and protected by a 5m high earthen dike.
The arsenal's concrete bunker is safe. The arsenal was supposed to be destroyed next year, and more than half of the weapons had already been destroyed when the incident occurred.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commander of the Central Army Group Yaroslav Roshupkin affirmed that there are no nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons in this arsenal./.
According to (TTXVN) - DT
