Residents of Balakliya being evacuated as explosions begin at arms depot

"The fire erupted at 13:35. This year it is lesser than last year. Two fire tanks are working at the scene. Residents of Arsenalna Street are being evacuated. The evacuation of residents of the entire Balakliya is not being discussed," the press service said.

According to a representative of Balakliya Town Council, who requested anonymity, "at first there was a planned blast of shells, which triggered a fire and explosions of shells at an arms depot."

On May 3, at 13:35, dry grass caught fire on the territory of the former arms depot No. 65 in Balakliya, Kharkiv region. The work on clearing and demining remnants of shells that had not exploded since last year's emergency was underway there.

On March 23, 2017, a fire broke out at a military arms depot in Balakliya, causing a detonation of ammunition. Then two people were killed, one was injured, and 345 houses were damaged. About 20,000 residents of Balakliya and two other populated centers were evacuated as a result of the incident.

op