Serbian town rocked by explosions

A series of explosions has blown apart a military ammunition dump in Serbia, injuring several people and causing extensive damage.

The blasts took place in a depot on a hill above the town of Paracin, about 150km (95 miles) south of Belgrade.

Windows were blown out of many houses in the town, while some were more seriously damaged, state TV reported.

Police said the cause of the blasts was unclear, but an investigative judge said sabotage was not ruled out.

"The first detonation was heard around 0400 (0200 GMT) and then a series of explosions followed," said Serbian Defence Minister Zoran Stankovic.

Petar Petrovic, who lives in Paracin, told the BBC News website he heard three big explosions and 50 smaller blasts.

"The explosions just kept on going for a long time. They were huge. I can still see the big flames in the sky above the base," he said.

Another resident, Dragica Jovanovic, said: "There was major panic in the town... It was worse than during the Nato bombing [of 1999]."

At least eight people - mostly Paracin residents - were reported to have been injured by the explosions, mainly by flying glass or debris.

The main road running past the town, from Belgrade to Serbia's second largest city of Nis, was closed for several hours.