Explosions fire continue in JK Arms depot

Srinagar, Aug 12L: Explosions and fire continued torage in the Army ammunition depot in south Kashmir for the second day today as all efforts to bring it under control did not yield any result.

Three people were killed and more than 50 others wounded in the fire which later triggered explosions in the 21 Field Ordnance Depot at Khandroo, about ten km from Anantnag' at 0900 hrs yesterday morning.

A defence ministry spokesman said it was accidental but two militant' the outfits Jamait-ul-Mujahideen (JuM) and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM)' have claimed responsibility.

The spokesman told the sources today that loud explosions could still be heard from the area. Leaping flames were also visible from a distance, he said adding that the intensity did not decrease.

Regarding causalities, he said it was very difficult to state how many soldiers, civilians and firemen were killed or wounded.

The health department has kept 150 ambulances to evacuate causalities to hospitals.He said the soldiers, who were in the camp at the time of the fire, have cordoned off the area.

However, many still trying to save the unaffected ammunition in the barracks. Troops inside the camp are still trying to save as much as they could, he said.

Firefighters of the Army are combating the fire and the Cause of the accident and casualties are being ascertained.

Scores of houses have developed cracks due to the impact of the blasts in four nearby villages, official sources said. He said the civilians living in the 1.5 km radius from the depot have already been taken to safer places. He said initial information received from one of the injured said the fire may have commenced from the highly combustible white Phosphorous ammunition kept in one of the sheds.

He said a statement in the press about a Rocket attack was baseless. A police spokesman at least 20,000 people from four villages were taken to safer places. The district administration has set up camps for people who had left their homes.

Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who has deputed two senior cabinet colleagues and Divisional Commissioner Kashmir to the spot, has expressed grave concern over the fire incident and asked the civil administration and army authorities to ensure that the situation was put under control led soon and evacuated population provided adequate shelter and food.

Deputy Commissioner Anantnag G A Peer said the farmers have been asked not to go into the fields and those on the roads were also requested to remain indoors till the situation was normal.

A fire service spokesman told the sources that about a dozen fire tenders were rushed to the area from different parts of south Kashmir.

Eight of our men received injuries and were hospitalised, he said adding three other jawans who were reported missing are in serious condition.

About ten senior Army officers were killed in a similar accidental fire in a building in which arms and ammunition, recovered during the counter insurgency operations, were kept in the nineties.

UNI