A huge boom shook Afyonkarahisar on Wednesday, when a military storage filled with hand grenades blew up, leaving twenty-five soldiers dead and 4 others injured.
The blast came about between Ataköy neighborhood and Kanlıca village of Afyonkarahisar, close to residential areas but in an isolated district. Initial reports arrogated that the blast occured after a mistake while officers were classifying the hand grenades.
Witnesses told people took to the streets, believing that the earthquake was rocking their buildings and homes. The raging fire abiding by the blast could be seen from many parts of the city.
Witnesses and officials told dozens of ambulances, fire fighters and search and rescue teams were discharged to the area of the blowup but they could have only limited area of operation due to the security.
Officials told the area where the blast occurred is a strictly isolated area for military purposes. Authorities limit the work firefighters and health workers, fearing that subsequent blasts could worsen the situation.
Forestry Minister Veysel Eroğlu told in a written affirmation there could be many hand grenades scattered in the area and that the fire fighters are ineffective to annihilate the fire. He stated helicopters could join to fight the fire if necessary.
He also added in the affirmation that there are believed to be nearly twenty injured.
Turkish TV networks told in unconfirmed reports that there could be at least thirty people, mostly officers, when the explosion occurred. Search and rescue teams could save four officers and 3 civilians from the area. Doctors told the health situation of the injured people is well.
City officials told they’ve no information as to how many people were trapped inside the area and that bomb squads are presently scanning the area to see if there are grenades posing dangers.
