Fire continues to rage in Ammo depot, CM makes aerial survey

Srinagar, Aug 12 (UNI) Defence authorities have ordered a court of inquiry into the devastating fire at the 21 Field Ordnance Depot at Khandroo in south Kashmir, destroying ammunition worth millions of rupees.

Explosions and fire continued to rage in the 21 Field Ordnance Depot for the second day today as all efforts to bring it under control were not successful.

Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad made an aerial survey of the area, where the fire is still raging, and advised villagers against rushing back to their homes in the face of the possibility of unexploded ammunition lying in the vicinity.

Accompanied by Minister of Education Peerzada Muhammad Sayeed, Minister of State for Health and Power Peer Muhammad Hussain, Chief Secretary C Phunsog, Chief Minister's Security Advisor Gopal Sharma, Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda and Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Mehboob Iqbal, the Chief Minister flew over the affected villages to ascertain the extent of damage caused by the eruption of the depot.

Following the aerial survey, Mr Azad had a high level meeting with senior officers of civil administration, army and police at Khanabal army camp to take stock of the situation.

The Chief Minister asked the administration to set up at least 20 camps for the evacuated population with adequate arrangements for shelter, food, water and medicines.

A defence ministry spokesman said the inquiry has been ordered into the incident to ascertain the cause of the fire. However, the investigation will be taken up only after the fire is extinguished and situation becomes normal, he said.

However, the spokesman ruled out any sabotage or militant hand in the incident. Two militant outfits-- Jamait-ul-Mujahideen (JuM) and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM)-- had claimed responsibility for the fire.

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.

The statement in the press about a Rocket attack was ''baseless,'' he asserted.

Three people were killed and more than 50 others wounded in the fire which later triggered explosions in the depot, about 10 km from Anantnag, at 0900 hrs last morning.

Meanwhile, defence authorities have warned the residents of the area, affected by the incident, not to enter their villages or touch any unexploded shells or suspicious object.

The Army Control Centre, set up at Khandroo, (mobile number 9906737261) or the nearest Army unit or police station should be informed about any suspicious object, they said.

Defence sources said thousands x x x x picking up from last para of DR48 'FIRE-KASHMIR-LEAD ARMY DEPOT.' UNI