Why explosions heard in peaceful Siberia

The fire at an ammunition depot in the Krasnoyark Region’s Achinsky District has been extinguished, the Russian Defense Ministry reported today.

"The fire at an ammunition depot of the Central Military District in the Krasnoyarsk Region’s Achinsky District has been fully extinguished. Powder charges stopped detonating after 05:00 Moscow time," TASS cited the ministry as saying.

According to the ministry, Ilyushin Il-76 military transport aircraft and Mil Mi-8 helicopters began dropping water to prevent the spread of fire.

Earlier today, the ministry reported that an Il-76 aircraft had conducted reconnaissance in the Achinsk area to evaluate the possibility of using aircraft to drop water in the area where the fire had occurred.

On Monday afternoon, a storage facility containing powder charges for artillery ammunition ignited at a military unit of the Central Military District in the Krasnoyarsk Region’s Achinsky District. Evacuation of locals from settlements within a 20-kilometer zone from the accident’s epicenter started.

The number of people wounded in the explosions at an ammunition depot in the Krasnoyark Region’s Achinsky District has climbed to 13. A woman who sustained light wounds sought medical attention, a source in the Achinsk Central District Hospital said.

"A woman sought medical attention an hour ago. [She] refused to be hospitalized," the source said.

A source in the emergency services earlier reported one fatality, but the Defense Ministry denied that.

The Russian Emergencies Ministry has confirmed that more than 16,500 people had left their homes after a series of explosions at the depot.

"To prevent threats to life and health of the population living in close proximity, the evacuation of 9,533 people from nine inhabited communities and the Sokol recreation camp has been organized. In addition, about 7,000 people have left the hazardous area on their own," the ministry’s press service said.

The emergencies services earlier reported that more than 16,000 people had fled the area.

According to the Emergencies Ministry, 30 temporary accommodation centers have been set up in three cities and two municipal areas. Currently there are 3,857 people there.

"Medical and psychological assistance for the locals has been provided," the ministry added.

Explosions that rocked a military storage facility near the city of Achinsk in Russia’s Krasnoyarsk Region caused no extensive damage, regional governor Alexander Uss said

"Luckily, no extensive damage was caused," he said. "The situation in the village [the Kamenka settlement located closest to the ammo depot] is fine. According to preliminary data, three wooden buildings were seriously damaged, windows and doors in houses were shattered… However, it would be wrong to say that Kamenka has been wiped off from the face of the earth," Uss noted.

According to the governor, smoke continues to rise from the ammo depot but a large fire isn’t likely again. "A helicopter trip over the depot did not give us the impression of a huge threat," he added.

Uss pointed out that military aircraft would soon join the firefighting effort. In addition, a unit of about 70 demining personnel will be deployed to Achinsk.

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Dmitry Bulgakov also stated that no serious damages were inflicted to the village. "I have visited the depot myself, as well as the nearby residential area, I also went to the technical zone and addressed all issues. There are some windows that need repairs but everything else is intact, all cars are safe," Bulgakov said.

He also said that human error is currently considered as the cause of the fire that broke out at a military storage facility, adding that the ammo depot would be shut down.