At least 155 people were injured Saturday in several explosions in a munitions depot in the Albanian town 12 kilometres north of the capital Tirana, DPA reported. At least two of the victims are reported in critical condition after the explosion, which could heard 200 kilometres away in the Macedonian capital of Skopje. As of the afternoon, soldiers were attempting to reach around 25 people who sought shelter from the explosions in a tunnel. According to the official ATA news agency, many of the victims were injured in their cars as they were travelling on the nearby Tirana-Durres highway, and had to be brought to hospital by numerous ambulances and helicopters. Albanian officials made urgent calls for donations of blood. All inhabitants surrounding the depot, in which old munition was to be defused, were evacuated as the explosions were continuing. Prime Minister Sali Berisha visited the site of the accident and called the situation "very severe." There was no information as to the cause of the explosions.
