Horrific explosion at a Ukrainian fuel depot.

A massive explosion has killed numerous firefighters near Kyiv as they attempted to control a fuel depot explosion on the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital.

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At least nine fuel tanks at the Vasylkiv depot, 30km from Kyiv, caught fire early this morning, creating a cloud of smoke that covered a large area, RT reported.

"A major explosion occurred at a fuel depot near Vasylkiv," said Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov. Vasylkiv is a town on the outskirts of Kyiv.

The fire started in one tank and spread to the others..

"It's extremely serious. Many firefighters have lost their lives," the official said, adding that six other firefighters were hospitalized with burns.

The column of black smoke from the explosion was visible from tens of kilometers away.

A massive operation was launched involving 62 fire units and 3 ships carrying equipment and water to the area.

As of 7 a.m. this morning, firefighting efforts were still underway. The fire spread to eight fuel storage tanks with a capacity of 900 cubic meters and several smaller tanks, according to emergency services.

(According to VNN)