Kazakh ammunition dump ablaze

The authorities in central Kazakhstan evacuated hundreds of people from surrounding villages because of a fire which sparked explosions at an ammunition dump.

The munitions depot, some 30 miles from the town of Balkhash, holds thousands of tonnes of artillery, tank and anti-aircraft shells waiting to be recycled.

The fire, which Defence Minister Sat Tokpakbayev attributed to spontaneous combustion, set off a constant stream of explosions.

The depot stores 80,000 tonnes of munitions

Over 400 people in surrounding villages are evacuated

The fire sets off a constant stream of explosions

Fire crews must wait for the all-clear

The area is sealed off over a 15-mile radius

Army helicopters monitor the fire from the sky

No-one can predict when the next shell will explode

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