Awantipora (Anantnag), August 13
Describing the Khundroo ammunition depot situation as "still sensitive", GOC-in-C Northern Command, Lt-Gen H. S. Panag said here today that the focus now was on clearing the area of any explosives to enable the evacuated civilian population to return. Clearing of the roads and villages for civilian movement will start by Wednesday morning, at least 48 hours after the last explosion that took place at 10.20 am today, he said.

At least four persons, including two firemen and two civilian labourers, have died while at least 25 others, an Army officer, nine others, 13 firemen and two civilian labourers were still missing, General Panag explained. Of the 18 civilians injured in the fire, five continued to be under treatment and others were discharged, while four of the eight firemen injured had also been discharged.

He added that nearly 10 per cent of the ammunition of the valley-based 15 Corps had been destroyed in the depot fire.

“We are engaging 43 bomb disposal teams from today to clear the area of any explosives that might have landed due to fire,” General Panag said. He said the incident occurred due to a fire inside shed No. 16, where Major Tarun Kumar with two jawans and one labourer were present.

This was followed by combustion at the nearby white phosphorous ammunition that led to the spread of fire in the sensitive explosive depot.