25 killed in ammunition depot blast in western Turkey: army

Twenty-five soldiers were killed and four were lightly wounded in an explosion at a military ammunition storage in western Turkey, the army announced today.

The explosion occurred around 2345 IST last night at a military ammunition depot where hand grenades were stored and its cause was not yet known, said the chief of staff in a statement posted on its website.

The blast caused a fire in the depot which officials said was contained early today. Government officials dismissed any act of terrorism or sabotage but said it was most probably an accident.

"This is most probably an accident," Environment and Forestry Minister Veysel Eroglu said in televised remarks. "This is certainly not an act of terrorism." Eroglu also warned citizens not to approach the area because hand grenades were dispersed around after the explosion.