A teenager was killed and 162 other people were injured in a powerful explosion last night at a warehouse in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, near the airport, after which a fire broke out and windows of neighboring apartments were shattered, according to the country's authorities.
A teenager was killed when a window frame fell on him, the health ministry said, adding that 24 other people had been taken to hospital, although their lives were not in danger. Another 138 received care for their injuries.
According to the same source, the fire broke out in a company warehouse in the customs area of the airport, which, as reported by the official Uzbek news agency UZa, is operating "normally".
A special laboratory has been set up at the site of the incident to investigate the causes of the explosion, the emergency response ministry said, noting on the Telegram platform that "the situation is fully under control".
Videos posted on social media show a huge fireball lighting up the night sky.
The windows of many houses in the area were broken, while some have had damage inside. Ambulances continue to evacuate the injured, according to an AFP reporter at the scene.
Explosions could still be heard hours after the fire broke out as firefighters battled to put it out.
"I woke up at night, I thought there was an earthquake, then I saw the fire. My son was injured in the leg," said Kutepov Mustafo, a 72-year-old pensioner who lives near the blast site and whose house was damaged.
New video shows just how powerful tonight's massive explosion at the airport in Tashkent, Uzbekistan was pic.twitter.com/3N436vnj67
- Visegrad 24 (@ visegrad24) September 28, 2023
An explosion occurred in a warehouse belonging to a company in the Sergeli district of the capital city of Uzbekistan, Tashkent,
There are numerous injured individuals. pic.twitter.com/b6zZMcW3lj
— gdh news (@gdhnews) September 28, 2023
Source: RES-EAP