Tripoli, 10 December 2013:
A store of tank ammunition at Brak Airbase exploded last night, causing a huge fire, in a suspected . . .[restrict]arson attack.
No-one was injured in the incident, which took place in the town of Brak, in Wadi Shatti. However, repeated explosions caused by ammunition overheating and igniting inside the store made it difficult for local fire-fighting units to control the blaze. Flying debris from the explosion apparently landed up to a two kilometres away from the site.
An officer at the air base, Abdul Wahab Urabi, was quoted the Libyan news agency LANA saying the blast was believed to have been caused by arson, .
Less than two weeks ago, several people were killed and over 20 injured in another explosion at the airbase, reportedly during the theft of tank ammunition.
The commander of the base, Mohammed Matooq, said that it had 17 tank ammunition stores. He added that these were in dangerous and unstable condition and a technical committee had been formed to organise the destruction of what remained of the ammunition. This was essential for the safety of local people, he added. [/restrict]
