Mar 24, 2017

One of Ukraine’s largest ammunition depots caught fire Thursday, sending large-caliber artillery rounds flying around the region.

Around 20,000 were evacuated in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region near the border with Russia. A 25-mile area around the depot has been closed for flights.

There was a fire at the same arsenal in 2015, but the military managed to quickly put it out before munitions detonated. The depot held about 138,000 metric tons of ordnance.

: A part of a missile seen is on the ground, as fire rages at a military ammunition depot in the background, in Balaklia, Ukraine on Thursday, March 23 2017. Around 20,000 people were evacuated Thursday in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region near the border with Russia after a massive fire at a military arsenal. The fire at the depot in Balaklia, which holds large-caliber artillery rounds and is one of Ukraine’s largest, erupted early Thursday, prompting the evacuation and Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman to fly to the area to monitor the blaze, which is still raging. An area the size of 40 kilometers (25 miles) around the depot has been closed for flights.(AP Photo/Mykhailo Andriiv)

: People, who were evacuated due to a fire raging at a military munitions depot, wait next to their vehicles on March 23, 2017 near the city of Balakliya, in the Kharkiv province of eastern Ukraine. Ukraine said that a fire raging at a munitions depot (caused by a series of explosions) in the country’s east, which the military blamed on an “act of sabotage”, could continue for up to a week. “We can evaluate everything as the intensity of the fire decreases,” Ukrainian Prime Minister said in televised comments. / (AFP Photo/Sergey Bobok)

: This photo provided by Ukrainian Emergency Situations Ministry press service a fire rages at a military ammunition depot in Balaklia near Khrakiv in Ukraine on Thursday, March 23 2017. There was no immediate information about any casualties. Ukrainian officials say the massive fire was caused by sabotage and prompted the evacuation of some 20,000 people. (AP Photo/Ministry of Emergency Situations press service via AP)

: A Ukrainian emergency employee steps over a part of a missile after a massive fire at a military depot in Balaklia, Ukraine, Friday, March 24, 2017. About 20,000 people were evacuated in Kharkiv region near the border with Russia when the fire broke out Thursday at one of Ukraine’s largest military arsenals, which held huge stocks of large-caliber artillery rounds. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

: This photo provided by Ukrainian Emergency Situations Ministry press service a fire rages at a military ammunition depot in Balaklia near Khrakiv in Ukraine on Thursday, March 23 2017. There was no immediate information about any casualties. Ukrainian officials say the massive fire that prompted the evacuation of 20,000 has been caused sparked by sabotage.. (AP Photo/Ministry of Emergency Situations press service via AP)

: A man takes pictures of a part of a missile with his mobile phone after a massive fire at a military depot in Balaklia, Ukraine, Friday, March 24, 2017. About 20,000 people were evacuated in Kharkiv region near the border with Russia when the fire broke out Thursday at one of Ukraine’s largest military arsenals, which held huge stocks of large-caliber artillery rounds. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

: An apartment house is damaged by a missile after a massive fire at a military depot in Balaklia, Ukraine, Friday, March 24, 2017. About 20,000 people were evacuated in Kharkiv region near the border with Russia when the fire broke out Thursday at one of Ukraine’s largest military arsenals, which held huge stocks of large-caliber artillery rounds. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

: Residents stand on the balcony of an apartment house damaged by a missile after a massive fire at a military depot in Balaklia, Ukraine, Friday, March 24, 2017. About 20,000 people were evacuated in Kharkiv region near the border with Russia when the fire broke out Thursday at one of Ukraine’s largest military arsenals, which held huge stocks of large-caliber artillery rounds. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

: This photo provided by Ukrainian Emergency Situations Ministry press service a fire rages at a military ammunition depot in Balaklia near Khrakiv in Ukraine on Thursday, March 23 2017. There was no immediate information about any casualties. Ukrainian officials say the massive fire that prompted the evacuation of 20,000 has been caused sparked by sabotage.. (AP Photo/Ministry of Emergency Situations press service via AP)

: A part of a missile seen on the ground near a small shop as a fire rages at a military ammunition depot in Balaklia near Khrakiv in Ukraine on Thursday, March 23 2017. Around 20,000 people were evacuated Thursday in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region near the border with Russia after a massive fire at a military arsenal. The fire at the depot in Balaklia, which holds large-caliber artillery rounds and is one of Ukraine’s largest, erupted early Thursday, prompting the evacuation and Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman to fly to the area to monitor the blaze, which is still raging. An area the size of 40 kilometers (25 miles) around the depot has been closed for flights. (AP Photo/Mykhailo Andriiv)

: This photo provided by Ukrainian Emergency Situations Ministry press service a fire rages at a military ammunition depot in Balaklia near Khrakiv in Ukraine on Thursday, March 23 2017. There was no immediate information about any casualties. Ukrainian officials say the massive fire that prompted the evacuation of 20,000 has been caused sparked by sabotage.. (AP Photo/Ministry of Emergency Situations press service via AP)

: Firefighters extinguish fire in a house which was hit by a shell after a massive fire at a military depot in Balaklia, Ukraine, Friday, March 24, 2017. About 20,000 people were evacuated in Kharkiv region near the border with Russia when the fire broke out Thursday at one of Ukraine’s largest military arsenals, which held huge stocks of large-caliber artillery rounds. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

: A Ukrainian APC rides past a shell on a road after a massive fire at a military depot in Balaklia, Ukraine, Friday, March 24, 2017. About 20,000 people were evacuated in Kharkiv region near the border with Russia when the fire broke out Thursday at one of Ukraine’s largest military arsenals, which held huge stocks of large-caliber artillery rounds. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

: People, who were evacuated due to a fire raging at a military munitions depot near the city of Balakliya, wait on March 23, 2017 at a school in the village of Savintsy in the Kharkiv province of eastern Ukraine. Ukraine said that a fire raging at a munitions depot (caused by a series of explosions) in the country’s east, which the military blamed on an “act of sabotage”, could continue for up to a week. “We can evaluate everything as the intensity of the fire decreases,” Ukrainian Prime Minister said in televised comments. / (AFP Photo/Sergey Bobok)

: This handout picture taken and released by Ukrainian Prime Minister press office on March 23, 2017 shows smoke billowing after a series of explosions that hit overnight a military ammunition depot near the city of Balakliya, in the Kharkiv province of eastern Ukraine. “A fire broke out … as a result of an act of sabotage at a depot in the town of Balakliya where missiles and munitions were kept,” Ukraine’s Chief Military Prosecutor in a statement. “The fire led to the detonation of munitions.” / (AFP Photo/Ukrainian Press service )

: A man steps on a part of a missile in front of a small shop after a massive fire at a military depot in Balaklia, Ukraine, Friday, March 24, 2017. About 20,000 people were evacuated in Kharkiv region near the border with Russia when the fire broke out Thursday at one of Ukraine’s largest military arsenals, which held huge stocks of large-caliber artillery rounds. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

20,000 evacuated after Ukraine military ammunitions depot catches fire

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