Blast in Colombian army depot kills two

By IANS

Bogota : Two soldiers have been killed and six others are missing following a series of explosions at an army munitions depot in northwestern Colombia, a top military official has said.


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A lieutenant, two corporals and three privates are missing and the chances that they are alive are slim, Army chief Gen Mario Montoya said Sunday after conducting an inspection of the blast site in the northwestern city of Medellin, Spain’s EFE news agency reported Monday.

Firearms, grenades, ammunition and a large quantity of explosives were at the munitions depot, which was rocked Saturday by at least six explosions that frightened residents of Colombia’s second largest city and even in neighbouring cities.

The first blast occurred when soldiers were participating in a ceremony to pledge allegiance to the flag, a military spokesman said.

The blasts forced officials to evacuate residential areas near the military base, Montoya said, adding that the cause of the blasts was still not clear.

Army helicopters were used to extinguish the flames and prevent them from spreading into the residential areas.

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