A huge explosion at a warehouse near Tashkent’s airport on Thursday killed one person and injured 162, authorities in Uzbekistan reported. The explosion triggered a fire and damaged windows in surrounding apartment buildings.
According to the health ministry, a teenage guy died after a window frame collapsed on him, and 24 individuals were hospitalized but were not in danger of dying, while 138 were treated for injuries.
Flights were operating as normal at the international airport in the capital, its administration said.
In video and photographs on social media, flames soared into the night sky, with a huge cloud of smoke hanging above the warehouse, but the cause of the explosion was not immediately clear.
A special laboratory had been set up at the scene to investigate the blast, the emergencies ministry said.
“As a result of the quick actions of emergencies ministry employees, the area of the fire is being reduced,” it added on the Telegram messaging app.
“The situation is completely under control.”
A social media post from Uzbek outlet Daryo said 16 fire and rescue crews were sent to fight the fire at one of the warehouses in the city’s Sergeli district near the airport.