MOSCOW – Russia on Wednesday evacuated more than 2,000 people from nearby villages after a wildfire set off explosions at a munitions depot in the Ryazan region southeast of Moscow, officials said.
More than 400 firefighters were battling into the evening to extinguish a blaze that broke out at the depot on Wednesday afternoon, with the authorities saying five people were injured but no one died.
The fire was sparked by a wildfire in dry grass nearby, the emergencies ministry said, causing munitions to explode continuously.
The Investigative Committee said it had opened a criminal probe into potential breaches of rules on handling weapons.(AFP)