URMAN, Bashkortostan. May 30 (Interfax-AVN) - The ammunition warehouse in the village of Urman, Bashkortostan, where ammunition exploded after a fire, will be closed and its territory will be given over to the local administration, Deputy Defense Minister Dmitry Bulgakov told Interfax-AVN.
"After the elimination of the fire at the 99th artillery arsenal steps will be taken by September 1 to disband the local army unit," he said.
"When the infrastructure of the cantonment is repaired and the area recultivated everything will be given over to the local administration," he said.
The fire broke out on Thursday and was put out by Friday morning but occasional explosions continue.
The incident injured 12 people, three of whom were hospitalized. Forty buildings, 14 of them residential, burned down. Some 2,000 people were evacuated. The fire and explosions left 116 people homeless. According to early estimates, the damage exceed 100 million rubles. Part of the evacuees are returning to their homes.
The Investigative Committee has named Pvt. S. Denyayev responsible for the explosions. A case of violating rules of handling arms has been launched.