Emergency services struggle to control blaze in Svatove as exploding shells force residents to take cover

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

Huge blasts have rocked a town in eastern Ukraine after an ammunition depot exploded and a series of fireballs erupted into the night sky.

At least two people were reported dead and three wounded, though the numbers of casualties are expected to rise.

Dramatic footage captured the raging fire in Svatove in a government-held part of Luhansk region, about 60 miles north of the frontline separating Ukrainian troops from pro-Russian rebels.

Emergency services rushed to the arsenal to tackle the blaze though exploding shells and the intensity of the fire thwarted efforts to bring it under control. The military complex was reportedly storing more than three tonnes of ammunition.

The Ukrainian security service is investigating the incident as a possible terrorist act, report local media. It is as yet unclear what sparked the massive fire.

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“Unfortunately, two people are already dead and three wounded. The situation remains very complicated. Explosions and fire are continuing,” said Zoryan Shkiryak, from the Ukrainian ministry of internal affairs.

Checkpoints have been placed around the town and local police have stepped up patrols to maintain order, said Shkiryak. The regional military chief is coordinating the emergency response, he added.

Svatove mayor Evgeny Rybalko said that a soldier was trapped under rubble at the destroyed military base and also confirmed that the current death count stood at two.

Terrified residents fled into basements for shelter. Downed mobile communications and power outages were reported in the surrounding area following the fire.

“Windows were trembling,” said Valentin Torba, a local journalist. “Everyone was hiding or running away.” One resident described how her niece’s house was struck by shell fragments.

“People are so scared,” said one correspondent for a regional news agency. “When we went into a basement, the fire could be seen within the city limits.”