Fire at ammo depot near Achinsk extinguished - Russian Defense Ministry
MOSCOW. Aug 6 (Interfax) - The fire has fully been extinguished at an ammunition depot near the town of Achinsk and ammunition detonation has ceased, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
"The fire at a depot of the Logistics Support Center of the Central Military District in the Achinsk district of the Krasnoyarsk Territory has fully been extinguished. There is no outside fire any more. The detonation of ammunition ceased after 5:00 a.m. [Moscow time]," it said.
Ilyushin Il-76 military-transport airplanes and army air force Mil Mi-8 helicopters have begun pouring water over the depot, the ministry said.
"Ten Il-76 airplanes and five Mi-8 helicopters of the army air force equipped with specialized water buckets are pouring water over the area in a fan-like manner," it said.
A fire broke out at a depot storing gunpowder charges for artillery shells belonging to a military unit in the Achinsk district, located in the west of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, at around 1 p.m. Moscow time on Monday, also causing explosions at the depot. An evacuation was announced in towns and villages located within a 20-kilometer area around the site. A state of emergency was declared in the Achinsk and Nazarovo districts and also the town of Achinsk.
Twelve people have been injured in the accident. Six of them are currently at a district hospital in moderately grave condition. One person is missing.