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A devastating fire that broke out in an army convoy carrying ammunition left two persons dead and eight others injured in the desert town of Bikaner near Indo-Pakistan border on Friday.
The mishap occurred in the ammunition-laden trucks parked inside the army cantonment area at Udasar, about 10 km from Bikaner.
The fire not only gutted about 70 trucks carrying ammunition, but the explosions caused devastation in about a six-km area where splinters of bombshells fell.
Two civilians died and eight others received burn injuries in residential colonies hit by the rockets that damaged at least two residential houses, police sources said.
Thousands of families in about half-a-dozen residential colonies shifted to safer places after the district administration asked them to move out.
The blasts were heard in Bikaner city, where windowpanes were shattered. Flames leaping up to 200 feet and huge smoke caused scare among the local residents.
Official sources said that the army convoy had come from Punjab as part of the recent army mobilisation following the December 13 terrorist attack on Parliament.
The first blast in the army ammunition was reported around 1500 hrs IST and the devastation continued till late in the night.
The district administration rushed fire tenders to douse the fire. Fire tenders were also requisitioned from neighbouring Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, Churu and Nagaur districts.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot was kept informed about the incident. The chief minister also had a phone conversation talk with the Defence Minister George Fernandes in Delhi.
Gehlot, who will also be visiting Bikaner for a survey on Saturday, suspected sabotage and said this aspect should also be probed thoroughly.
The defence minister has already ordered a comprehensive probe into the incident.
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