Albanian News

TIRANA - A strong explosion occurred around noon in a warehouse of weapons to the army Albanian Vora, a location about 12 kilometers north of Tirana located between the capital and Durres. According to Albanian sources in the government are already thirty deaths and 200 injured. So far, the debris has been recovered four corpses. Among the wounded, only a dozen are in serious condition, including a child of two years subject to surgery. An Italian citizen has been done to heal at Durres for a slight wound, but has already been discharged.

The incident had occurred while they were in Corsican dismantling of operations. It is not known when the causes, but it is feared that there are deaths or serious injuries among the 63 people who were working in the area, including military belonging to a company that specializes was dealing operations evacuation of the deposit. Not affected by the explosion are the two Italian soldiers in the area, as stated the Ministry of Defense.

“We were at least 63 people who were working at the store. Only 15 of us were able to escape. Others there are no news” is the first evidence of Qemal Dema, one of the workers involved in the decommissioning of weapons and munitions in storage exploded. “I and another group were near the door of the warehouse,” he continued Dema showing burns to the hands and other wounds to the head. The government has announced that in addition to the 15 workers there would be other survivors, still without providing an official figure on deaths.

Meanwhile at least 25 people, inhabitants of the area near the storage of weapons, remained trapped in a tunnel where they had to protect refugees. He said Interior Minister Bujar Nishani. “Car armoured police and firemen are approaching the zone in order to evacuate,” said the minister. The Albanian Red Cross has meanwhile issued a public appeal for citizens between 18 and 60 years of age to donate blood, in order to help hospitals deal with the flow of injured rising hour by hour.

Soon the government will meet in emergency session but premier Sali Berisha has already know that the situation is very serious. “The explosion could have caused a large number of victims,” said Berisha referring to the workers who worked inside the warehouse. All means of fire and civil defence were immediately directed to the area of the disaster. According to some witnesses other explosions continue at the store, hampering rescue units trying to reach the site.

“We do not know the exact number of victims,” explained Juela Mecani, spokesman for the premier, “but we fear the worst for the three teams involved in the filing when the explosion. Several were American citizens.” This particular was not confirmed by the United States in Tirana.

Meanwhile continuing apace intense rescue operations, with ambulances carrying the injured to hospitals in Tirana and Durres. Witnesses reported that the explosion was caused dozens injured especially among motorists and bus passengers in transit along the nearby highway. Vehicles in fact have been invested by the powerful shock wave caused the deflagration. Sources have reported seeing a huge cloud of smoke rise at the site from the explosion.

The shock wave was felt clearly even in Tirana and Durres, where there have been phenomena similar to seismic shock. The explosion sent some shattered glass at Rinas, where all flights were immediately blocked. Even the traffic on connecting the capital to the port of Durres is blocked.

The Italy is ready to help Tirana to cope with the emergency situation. A delegation of Italian military assistance is present in Albania based in Italy, and is preparing to intervene.