Tashkent (Uzbekistan): A huge explosion followed by fire completely destroyed a warehouse near Tashkent Airport in the Uzbekistan capital early Thursday morning, according to local media reports.
Conflicting reports are coming about the exact cause of the explosion but it is confirmed that the warehouse was filled with Electric Cars (EV) and batteries.
The government is blaming lighting while others are blaming an electric battery fire and there is other reports of the cause of the explosion being unknown yet.
The explosion has resulted in deaths and injuries. But the exact figure of the casualties is not yet confirmed, local media reported.
There were many workers inside the warehouse where the blast occurred, Tashkent media reported.
The blast was so strong that its impact and tremors were felt over 30 km away.
Horrifying videos from the scene show a column of flames and smoke rising into the night sky, adding to the urgency of the situation and people running out of their houses in panic.
“It’s very scary”, a local resident said.
Emergency response teams are on-site, working diligently to contain the fire resulting from the explosion, according to news website Nova24.
While flight operations at Tashkent International Airport appeared to be operating normally, a closure notice has been issued for the runway during specific hours. The reason for this closure was not initially provided.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry of Uzbekistan said that a “fire” had been reported during the night at the warehouse, and that an unspecified number of injured people had been taken to hospital.
“At the moment, there are not any seriously injured among them. Right now, doctors are furnishing all necessary medical assistance,” the Ministry said on Telegram.
Uzbekistan is the most populous of the central Asian fomer Soviet republics, and fires attributed to dilapidated equipment and poor adherence to safety standards are common there.
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