A searing blaze that roared by means of a number of gasoline tankers on the northern fringe of the Afghan capital of Kabul killed seven folks and injured 14 others, the Interior Ministry mentioned Sunday.
Investigators have been combing by means of the handfuls of tankers that lay in smoldering ruins and a gasoline station caught in the flames that roared by means of the realm late Saturday, mentioned ministry spokesman Tariq Arian.
There was no fast indication of whether or not it was an accident or sabotage. It got here on the identical day that the U.S. and NATO formally started the ultimate section of a withdrawal from Afghanistan, ending a virtually 20-year navy engagement.
All 2,500-3,500 American troopers and about 7,000 NATO allied forces will likely be out of Afghanistan on the newest by Sept. 11, the twentieth anniversary of the terrorist assaults in the United States that first introduced them into the nation.
Arian mentioned the hearth started when a spark set a gasoline tanker ablaze. Several tankers close by have been rapidly engulfed, sending large flames and plumes of smoke into the night time sky. The fireplace in the northern fringe of town engulfed a number of properties and a close-by gasoline station. Several buildings have been destroyed and electrical energy to a lot of Kabul, which normally has solely sporadic energy, was knocked out.
Truck drivers Sunday blocked the street resulting in the realm demanding the federal government present compensation.
The wounded have been being handled principally for burns in native hospitals.
The fireplace got here quickly after residents of the bulk Muslim nation marking the holy month of Ramadan when the devoted quick from dawn to sundown had ended their day-long quick.
One driver, Haji Mir, mentioned the explosion was deafening as vehicles have been lined up coming into town.
The first explosion gave the impression of a mine explosion, he mentioned. There was flames capturing from one truck after which a second truck exploded, and a 3rd. He estimated that as many as 100 tucks might have burned.
Dozens of tankers have been transferring slowly into the capital on the time of the blaze. They had been ready till after 9 p.m. when gasoline tankers and different giant vehicles are allowed to enter town.
Obaidullah, a resident in the realm, mentioned the fireballs have been huge. His household and neighbors bumped into their yards.
Fire lit up the sky, he mentioned. Drivers have been screaming for assist as flames leapt from automobile to automobile and even set ablaze a gasoline station. Drivers have been yelling that their co-drivers have been caught and have been burning.
Firefighters arrived on the scene however their capability is restricted and it took hours to convey the blaze below management. On Sunday morning, flames nonetheless leapt from the smoldering ruins.
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