SRINAGAR, 12 August 2007 — At least two dozen people, including 15 army personnel, were injured yesterday when a huge fire broke out at an ammunition depot of the Indian Army in Kashmir, officials and witnesses said. More than 25,000 residents wereevacuated from different villages around the depot at Khandroo village, 70 kilometers from here in Anantnag district.
“We have successfully evacuated more than 25,000 villagers from around 14 villages in the vicinity of the depot where a huge conflagration is still raging with explosions now being heard as far as seven kilometers away from the depot site,” a senior police officer said. “We have lodged the evacuated civilians in schools buildings and tents that have been erected for the purpose away from the camp,” he added.
He said two loud explosions inside the heavily guarded depot triggered the fire in the morning, which spread in the depot instantaneously, resulting in series of explosions which are continuing till now.
Police sources here said 30 persons including troopers, civilians and firemen are injured in the blaze and serial blasts that sent the entire area in a tizzy, with residents fleeing their homes in panic.
The fire sent artillery rounds and shrapnels flying high and wild all over the area around the camp causing consternation and panic among hundreds of villagers who fled their homes with their family members. A massive cloud of black smoke is bellowing from the explosion site.
The blaze, an army spokesman here said was caused by an accidental fire inside the field ordinance depot.
“We are trying to control the blaze and evacuate the civilian population,” defense spokesman, Lt. Col. A.K. Mathur told this correspondent here.
The civilian authorities made repeated announcements in the areas around the camp, seeking vacation of the residents, who reached Anantnag town, 15 km from the Khandroo camp.
The news of the ammunition depot fire spread in the area and the entire Anantnag town was closed.
