BAKU, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- A fire broke out on Sunday morning at an ammunition depot of a military unit in Azerbaijan, causing multiple explosions and casualties, the Defense Ministry said.
There is no information about the location of the military unit from the ministry's statement. Local news websites reported the incident occurred in the eastern Khizi region, 104 km north of the capital city of Baku.
The statement confirmed casualties without giving an exact number. It said evacuations of injured people from the site have been hampered due to recurring explosions.
"Ten ambulances are currently directed to the blasted area. However, they can not approach the site considering additional explosions," Miralam Jalalov, who oversees the nation's ambulance service, was quoted as saying.
Local media said the motorway linking Baku with the country's Guba region close to the Russian border was shut in the wake of the incident. Residents in the nearby six villages were evacuated.
The cause of the fire remains unknown. Investigations are underway, the statement said.
