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Explosions and fire hit ammunition depot in Siberia

One person was killed, according to a source. The Russian Defense Ministry has dismissed this information

TASS, August 5. Explosions have been reported on Monday at ammunition depot located at the military base in the Achinsk District of the Krasnoyarsk Region. 

"The explosion went off in an ammunition depot, evacuation is being carried out," a source in the region’s emergency services told TASS on Monday.

A fire broke out in the artillery propellant powder charge storage on the territory of an equipment supply depot, according to the Russian Central Military District.

Local emergency units took steps to restrict the spread of fire and ensure security at the fire site. "Currently, the epicenter of the fire is being localized," the district added.

A source in a local emergencies service told TASS that one serviceman died as a result of the blasts. However, a source in the Russian Defense Ministry has dismissed this information. 

Eight people have been injured, including two military officers, the local hospital informed TASS.

"Eight people, three hospitalized, five outpatients," the source said.

The personnel has been evacuated. An effort is underway to evacuate residents of settlements located within a 20 km zone from the accident’s epicenter.

The authorities of the city of Achinsk in Russia’s Krasnoyarsk Region, which has a population of 100,000, are evacuating about 11,000 people after explosions.

"Districts with a total population of about 11,000 people are within the impact zone. These areas are being evacuated,"  the press service of the municipal administration informed TASS.

A source in the region’s emergency services told TASS that residential buildings have been damaged in the wake of the explosions.

"Residential buildings have been damaged. The windows have been shattered by the blast wave. The territory [of the military base] has been cordoned off," the agency’s source stated.