RT – Thousands of residents of more than 14 villages in the central Russian region of Ryazan were urgently evacuated after a blaze engulfed a military base and reached its arms depot, causing numerous explosions, injuring two people.
The Russian Defense Ministry said that ammunition was exploding outside Zheltukhino village in Ryazan Region, adding that grass had initially caught fire at the military base before the blaze reached the facility.
Shells were detonating almost every 10 seconds at the base, witnesses told local media. A huge plume of thick black smoke was filmed rising hundreds of meters into the air from the site, while the sound of explosions could be heard in the background.
At least 14 villages within a five-kilometer radius of the base have been evacuated, along with personnel at the base. Traffic on a nearby federal highway was also stopped.
The Defense Ministry said there were no casualties, but medics told the media that two people were injured by the explosions and required hospitalization. One of the patients, a woman, was transferred to intensive care with a head injury, they said.
The situation on the ground has been complicated by strong winds, which caused the fire to spread. According to some reports, the blaze has already reached one of the villages outside the base.
Servicemen from the local firefighting garrison and a firefighting train have been sent to the site to localize the blaze. Four Il-76 firefighting planes and several Mi-8 helicopters are also prepared to assist with the mission.
