Uzbekistan arms depot death toll may rise-media
TASHKENT, July 11 (Reuters) - The number of dead in a series of blasts at a Soviet-era arms depot in the south of Uzbekistan may be higher than the three originally reported, a local official and a witness said on Friday.
"A (state) commission is currently at work and possibly the original numbers issued earlier will be revised," an emergencies ministry official told Russia's Ria-Novosti news agency.
The official did not elaborate.
The town of Kagan, near the ancient Silk Road city of Bukhara, was cordoned off by state troops shortly after the explosions early on Thursday.
The blasts were trigged by a fire at a nearby helicopter base which was used by Soviet forces in the 1980s to support operations in neighbouring Afghanistan.
A local witness told Reuters the explosions flattened a railway station, a five-storey building and smashed windows as far as Bukhara, 12 km (8 miles) away.
"It's impossible it was only three people," said the witness, who spoke anonymously due to the sensitivity of the issue.
The official denied the blasts had caused major damage.
"Media reports about huge destruction and casualties are not true," the emergencies ministry official told Ria. "It is important that the situation has stabilised and people are being given all the necessary help."
Uzbekistan is a tightly run Central Asian nation where the government controls the press and tolerates little dissent.
The only official statement on the situation, issued on Thursday, said a special government commission was doing everything to help those injured and maintain security. (Writing by Maria Golovnina; editing by Philippa Fletcher)
"A (state) commission is currently at work and possibly the original numbers issued earlier will be revised," an emergencies ministry official told Russia's Ria-Novosti news agency.
The official did not elaborate.
The town of Kagan, near the ancient Silk Road city of Bukhara, was cordoned off by state troops shortly after the explosions early on Thursday.
The blasts were trigged by a fire at a nearby helicopter base which was used by Soviet forces in the 1980s to support operations in neighbouring Afghanistan.
A local witness told Reuters the explosions flattened a railway station, a five-storey building and smashed windows as far as Bukhara, 12 km (8 miles) away.
"It's impossible it was only three people," said the witness, who spoke anonymously due to the sensitivity of the issue.
The official denied the blasts had caused major damage.
"Media reports about huge destruction and casualties are not true," the emergencies ministry official told Ria. "It is important that the situation has stabilised and people are being given all the necessary help."
Uzbekistan is a tightly run Central Asian nation where the government controls the press and tolerates little dissent.
The only official statement on the situation, issued on Thursday, said a special government commission was doing everything to help those injured and maintain security. (Writing by Maria Golovnina; editing by Philippa Fletcher)
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