Explosion at Fuel Depot in Nagorno-Karabakh kills 20 & injured hundreds more

An explosion at a fuel depot in Nagorno-Karabakh has killed 20 people and injured hundreds more. Armenian authorities said, nearly 300 people were admitted to hospitals, with dozens of them still in critical condition. It comes as the Armenian Government said 13,350 refugees had crossed into the country from the enclave. The disputed region in Azerbaijan is home to a majority of some 120,000 ethnic Armenians.

It is not yet clear what caused the explosion yesterday evening near the main city of Khankendi, known as Stepanakert by Armenians.



Petrol stations were overwhelmed as thousands tried to leave the region, which was already suffering from a fuel shortage following a months-long blockade.

In a statement, local officials today said, 13 unidentified bodies were found at the scene of the explosion and seven more died in hospital. Since Azerbaijan's seizure of Nagorno-Karabakh last week, thousands of people have left the area after the Armenian government in Yerevan announced plans to move those made homeless by the fighting.