An armory in the Russian republic of Bashkortostan went up in flames Wednesday after a routine gunpowder disposal went awry, the Interfax news agency reported Wednesday.
Though no injuries were reported, 600 townspeople were evacuated from the village of Urman, a considerable portion considering its overall population stands at approximately 2,680, Interfax reported, citing the Emergency Situations Ministry.
By early evening, the fire had been localized and the evacuees had begun returning home.
A fire at another armory in Urman left 116 people homeless in 2011. More than 800 buildings — including a school and a kindergarten — were destroyed by that inferno.
The leader of a local military unit and a draft soldier were both convicted and fined in connection with the 2011 blaze, and the armory was shut down.
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