More than 160 people were injured and one teenager died in a serious explosion in the Uzbek capital Tashkent. The explosion occurred in a customs warehouse near the airport.
An explosion in a warehouse in the Uzbek capital Tashkent has killed at least one person and injured more than 160 people. Authorities in the Central Asian country said that “163 victims” were counted after the nighttime incident near Tashkent airport.
According to the information, 138 slightly injured people have already been released from the hospital. The condition of the 24 injured people remaining in hospital is “satisfactory”. However, the Uzbek Ministry of Health announced on the Telegram messenger service that a young person had died from his injuries.
Explosion apparently caused by lightning
A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Emergency Situations said the explosion was caused by a lightning strike. As a result, a fire broke out. In videos shared on online networks, a huge ball of fire could be seen across the night sky. The force of the explosion shattered windows on houses in the area.
According to the Ministry of Health, the explosion occurred in the warehouse of a company in the customs area of the airport. Hours later, more explosions were felt. The official Uzbek news agency Uza reported that airport operations were still running “normally”. Apparently surrounding houses were damaged. Resident Nurgali Nurgembetov, whose house is only around 50 meters from the site of the explosion, demanded “to be relocated to a safe place.”
Often due to fires Security breacheat
Resident Mustafo Kutepov also told the AFP news agency that his house had been damaged by the explosion. He called on authorities to quickly compensate him as winter approaches. “I don’t have the means to repair it myself,” said the 72-year-old pensioner. According to his own statements, he initially thought the explosion that night was an earthquake until he saw the fire. His son was injured in the leg as a result of the explosion.
Uzbekistan is the most populous ex-Soviet republic in Central Asia. As in other ex-Soviet republics, fires often occur there due to outdated infrastructure and violations of safety rules.