10,000 people evacuated after fire in Venezuela arms depot
By IANSSunday, January 30, 2011
CARACAS - Around 10,000 people had to be evacuated after a fire broke out in an arms depot in Venezuela, killing at least one person, officials said.
The fire broke out Sunday in the Anonymous Venezuelan Campaign of Military Industries in Maracy city in Aragua state, Xinhua reported.
Aragua Governor Rafael Isea said the victim was a woman.
“Apparently she was exposed to the explosion (in the arms depot),” Isea said.
Isea added that the people living in the area were evacuated for their own safety.
“It was a preventive measure, because the munitions exploded and they have certain impact power, so of course we are trying to avoid any bad situation,” he said.
The fire started at about 4.30 a.m. local time (0900 GMT) and caused powerful explosions in three of the four storage areas.
Authorities set up a security cordon of six kilometres and told people to leave their houses as a precautionary measure against the spread of the fire.
