A powerful explosion occurred near the airport in Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan, on Wednesday night, media in that Central Asian country reported, with authorities calling it a “fire” that left people injured and injured.
According to witnesses quoted by news site Nova24, the incident occurred at a customs warehouse near Tashkent airport. Videos posted on social media show a column of smoke and flames in the night sky.
According to the Ministry of Health, a “fire” broke out overnight in this warehouse in Tashkent, sending injured people to hospital.
“At the moment there are no serious injuries among them. At present, doctors are providing all necessary medical assistance,” the Ministry of Health said on Telegram.
Initial reports suggest a large shipment of electric vehicle batteries could be the cause of tonight’s massive explosion at the airport in Tashkent, Uzbekistan pic.twitter.com/LzwAn25ObK
— Visegrad 24 (@visegrad24) September 28, 2023
“In addition, emergency medical care for those injured by the fire will be guaranteed at the scene of the accident and in the surrounding apartments,” he added, without giving any figures for the time being.
Uzbekistan is the most populous of the former Soviet republics of Central Asia. As in the rest of the former USSR, fires occur frequently due to outdated equipment and non-compliance with safety standards.
However, accidents of this magnitude remain rare.