Turkey: Explosion in military ammunition depot kills 25 soldiers
Ammunition explodes at Turkish military depot
A huge blast rocked the western province of Afyonkarahisar late today when a military storage filled with hand grenades exploded, killing 25 soldiers.
The blast took place in at 9:15 p.m., setting the facility ablaze, reports said, adding that many ambulances and firefighters were sent to the scene.
“Blasts erupted in a grenade depot in the area belonging to the Turkish Air Forces,” Afyonkarahisar Mayor Burhanettin Çoban said. The fire is still continuing in the ammunition depot, while the wounded were sent to a military hospital.
Witnesses and officials said dozens of ambulances, firefighters and search and rescue teams were dispatched to the area of the explosion but were prevented from accessing much of the area due to safety fears.
Turkish Forestry and Waterworks Minister Veysel Eroğlu said helicopters would be sent to the scene in order to soon bring the strong fire under control.
06.09.2012
BTT
September/06/2012
