Shocking photos have laid bare the devastation caused by a massive explosion that destroyed warehouses in Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent on Thursday.
The wild explosion, which killed a teenager and injured more than 160 people, broke out early Thursday morning and was felt by people more than 20 miles away, such was the power of the shockwave.
Aerial photos of the scene released today show how half of the warehouse was completely destroyed, with charred and twisted debris scattered across hundreds of square feet of scorched earth.
Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations did not specify what was inside that caused the explosion, while Russian state media Tass later reported that the warehouse contained several dozen electric vehicles and batteries.
Some local reports claimed that the explosion was caused by a lightning strike that ignited the batteries, but others rejected the theory and instead claimed that explosives were likely held in the warehouse – although this did not not been confirmed by the authorities.
Terrifying footage shared on messaging app Telegram showed how the fireball from the warehouse erupted hundreds of feet high, lighting up the night sky.
These images from Maxar Technologies show an aerial view of the warehouse before and after the explosion
A photo made available by the government of Uzbekistan shows Uzbek firefighters putting out flames at the site of an explosion at a warehouse in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, September 28, 2023.
The Uzbek Emergency Situations Ministry did not specify what was inside that caused the explosion.
A powerful explosion rocked Uzbekistan after midnight with reports of a fireball hundreds of meters high lighting up the night sky.
A customs warehouse at the airport exploded, according to the Uzbek Daryo news site.
Firefighters work to extinguish a fire at a warehouse site in Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Flames and smoke rise as firefighters work to put out a fire at a warehouse site in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Dozens of ambulances rushed the injured to hospitals at dawn Thursday morning, while sixteen separate fire crews were deployed to extinguish the massive blaze that covered more than 32,000 square feet.
Some 162 people were treated for their injuries, the health ministry said.
At least five children were injured by flying glass.
Footage from the scene in the morning showed several residents inspecting their broken windows and damaged homes, while smoke was still visible as firefighters struggled to bring the blaze under control.
A social media post by the Uzbek Daryo newspaper said 16 fire and rescue teams were sent to fight the fire at one of the warehouses in the Sergeli district near the airport.
The Uzbek Interior Ministry was initially quoted as saying that “lightning struck a warehouse where electric cars and batteries were stored, causing a massive explosion and fire in Tashkent.”
Later, doubts emerged about the role played by lightning in the explosion.
Electric car batteries exploded in the airport warehouse, causing the building to be destroyed in the shock wave, Russian media Mash said.
Soot and flaming debris rain down on Tashkent following huge explosion
The remains of the warehouse are burning following the huge explosion that rocked the city.
Cellphone footage captured the fire in Uzbekistan, believed to have originated from an explosion at an airport warehouse.
Smoke could still be seen rising into the sky this morning after the thunderous explosion overnight.
A man shows damage to his house after the early morning explosion that rocked the former Soviet state
The shock wave was felt by residents of Nurafshan, a town south of Tashkent, around thirty kilometers from the epicenter of the explosion. In the photo: firefighters on site
The ministry later said it was working to establish full details about the cause of the explosion.
The shock wave was felt by residents of Nurafshan, a town south of Tashkent, around thirty kilometers from the epicenter of the explosion.
“On some social networks, false news spread that the incident in the Sergeli region was due to a plane crash. This is an absolute lie,” the Uzbek Emergency Ministry said.
The ministry later said it was working to establish full details about the cause of the explosion.
Uzbekistan is the most populous of the former Soviet republics of Central Asia, and fires attributed to outdated equipment and poor compliance with safety standards are common there.
Accidents of this magnitude, however, remain rare.
