Ukrainians rush from arms depot explosion

Residents are being evacuated from the Ukrainian town of Lozovaya, where an ammunition depot has been set ablaze. Most of the people are being evacuated by foot, while the women, children and the elderly are provided with transport.

At the moment ammunition boxes are detonating, leaving the nearby city dwellers in serious danger. Emergency headquarters have been set up by local administration.

According to Interfax, fire broke 6pm Moscow time at an artillery ammunition depot of military base 0829 in 64,000-town in Kharkov region.

This is the latest in a series of similar incidents at military ammunition depots in Ukraine.

On August 19, 2006 and May 18, 2007 fires broke out at military base А2985 in Novobogdanovka, leaving four injured.

On April 11, 2008 a blast occurred at rocket base 275 injuring three pyrotechnists.

However the last major fire – that led to population evacuated – occurred in Zaporozhskaya region on May 6, 2004.