Huge explosion at Kazakh military base kills 12 and injures at least 50: Hundreds of people are evacuated after munitions store blows up

Twelve people have died and at least 50 people have been injured following a series of  explosions at an arms depot in southern Kazakhstan, the Central Asian country's emergencies ministry has said.

An official statement said emergency services workers and military staff were among victims of the blasts at an in the southern region of Jambyl yesterday. 

Nearby villages were evacuated by authorities while emergency services attended to the wounded, and rail links to the city of Almaty were closed.

A video shared on the Telegram messaging app showed a column of smoke billowing from a fire before a powerful explosion sent flames shooting out. 

While the initial death toll was nine, a search by rescue workers uncovered the bodies of a further three staff who had been helping to put out the fire which began on Thursday evening.    

Spokesman Talgat Uali said that the operation to put out the fire is now continuing.    

Twelve people have died and at least 50 people have been injured following a series of explosions at an arms depot in southern Kazakhstan, the Central Asian country's emergencies ministry has said 

Another clip showed debris and army missiles ignited by inferno flying through the sky in long arcs as the fire raged.

The defence ministry said that a fire had broken out at the ammunitions depot and 'quickly spread to storage facilities where engineering ammunition is stored.'

Several explosions followed, the defence ministry said.

'The explosions stopped over time, but the fire continues,' the statement added.

Regular incidents at Kazakhstan's Soviet-era military depots have proved a headache for the government in recent years, with another depot near the southern town of Arys seeing three lethal explosions take place in the last decade.      

An official statement said emergency services workers and military staff were among victims of the blasts in the southern region of Jambyl yesterday. Above: A video clip showed debris and army missiles ignited by inferno flying through the sky in long arcs as the fire raged

The defence ministry said that a fire had broken out at the ammunitions depot and 'quickly spread to storage facilities where engineering ammunition is stored'

The defence ministry noted that some of the munitions stored at the Soviet-era depot in Jambyl had been transferred from the facility in Arys, where there have been calls to resettle the town's entire population of 45,000.

The emergencies ministry said that the scattering radius of the fragments was up to 1.25 miles.

'According to preliminary data, more than 500 tonnes of trinitrotoluene were stored in the warehouse,' the ministry said.

Kazakhstan is close to Kyrgyzstan, which shares frontiers with neighbouring states to Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

All the ex-Soviet republics in the region are deeply concerned at the possible spread of the Taliban and Islamic terrorism to their countries with the collapse of the Western-backed government in Afghanistan.

At an emergency government meeting Friday, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said Kazakhstan had 'systemic problems' with its ammunitions storage.

The emergencies ministry said that the scattering radius of the fragments was up to 1.25 miles. Above: The moment of the huge blast

At an emergency government meeting Friday, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said Kazakhstan had 'systemic problems' with its ammunitions storage

A view of a damaged house in Kaynar village, around 650feet away from the warehouse where the blast took place

He called on authorities to investigate the disaster and provide help for the families of military personnel and rescuers who he said died 'heroically in the line of duty'. 

The emergencies ministry said that the scattering radius of the fragments was up to two kilometres (1.25 miles).

'According to preliminary data, more than 500 tonnes of trinitrotoluene were stored in the warehouse,' the ministry said.

Defence Minister Nurlan Ermekbayev said Friday that he would leave his post over the incident if President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev accepted his resignation.

The Jambyl regional government said Friday morning that of more than 80 people who received treatment for injuries, 28 remained in hospital with six in serious condition.

But 'their lives are not in danger,' the statement said.

Tokayev said local residents had not been hurt during the incident.

The Jambyl authorities said more than 80 children were among those evacuated from nearby villages following the incident.

Around 1,200 people were taken to schools in Taraz, a city of over 300,000 people, which is about 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the facility.

A government commission has been set up to establish the cause of the fire, while Ermekbayev said arson was being considered as a potential trigger for the blaze. 

A huge pillar of smoke could be seen rising high into the sky from the site of the explosions

Emergency services worked to evacuate people from nearby villages and all road and rail links into the area were closed

Buildings located near to the military base could be seen damaged, with shards of glass scattered on the ground

Huge glass panes at the front of this hotel could be seen having been smashed by the force of the explosions and the following shockwaves

Mr Yermekbayev said a fire which ignited the explosion may have been 'sabotage' without giving more details.

'This maybe a violation of safety requirements, spontaneous combustion, or a chemical reaction.

'Deliberate arson or sabotage is not excluded.'

The defence ministry said that two of the men who died were part of a fire brigade at the base who were attempting to put out the blaze, while a third was guarding the depot at the time of the explosions. 

Kazakh defence minister Nurlan Yermekbayev said a fire which ignited the explosion may have been 'sabotage' without giving more details - and he also offered his resignation

The emergencies ministry said that the scattering radius of debris fragments was up to 1.25 miles

A government commission has been set up to establish the cause of the fire, while Yermekbayev said arson was being considered as a potential trigger for the blaze

On Thursday, President Tokayev had said on Twitter that the injured were soldiers and emergency services workers.

Among those killed by the blasts, were Sergeant Marat Meshinbay and Corporal Ruslan Zhanbolatov, both 40, who were first responders, who suffered 'injuries incompatible with life.'

Colonel Armen Kapezov, a military prosecutor, died in the explosion, and military guard Orazbek Dalibayev, 52, was also killed. 

Local authorities said more than 80 children were among those evacuated from nearby villages following the incident. 

Around 1,200 people were taken to schools in Taraz, a city of over 300,000 people, which is around 19 miles from the facility.

A government commission has been set up to establish the cause of the fire, while Yermekbayev said arson was being considered as a potential trigger for the blaze.