Skies above Kabul turn red as gas station catches fire outside Afghan capital (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)
A major fire broke out at a gas station north of the Afghan capital on Saturday, engulfing several fuel trucks and causing power outages in some parts of the city. The incident happened amid the rise of violence in the country.
The affected gas station was located in the Qala-e-Murad Bek area along the highway that connects Kabul with the country’s northern provinces, the Interior Ministry said.
The blaze couldn’t be contained in time and spread onto a line of fuel trucks waiting to enter Kabul. The vehicles were being engulfed one after another, the Interior Ministry spokesman told Tolo News.
Preliminary reports suggest gas station in north of Kabul has been set on fire earlier tonight. Horrible blaze caused power cut and the city went to total darkness. pic.twitter.com/ujdUCoGsH4
— Khaama Press (KP) (@khaama) May 1, 2021
The fire sent a huge plume of black smoke into the air and colored the night skies above the capital in red, providing for a truly apocalyptic site.
Alarmed residents of Kabul posted photos of the blaze on social media, while trying to guess what might have caused it.
There’s been no information about casualties so far, but the area around the gas station reportedly suffered significant damage.
The disaster also affected power lines, which left some parts of the capital without electricity.
Kabul’s skies are engulfed by pulsating red colors tonight – a frightening sight from my living room window. No idea what it may be. pic.twitter.com/RSHQhVkV1n
— Sara Wahedi (@SaraWahedi) May 1, 2021
The reasons for the blaze are currently unclear, but violence has been on the rise in Afghanistan in recent weeks.
Oil tankers have caught fire in the Northern edge of Kabul. The flames and thick smoke could be seen rising to the dark sky, making the whole area visible. pic.twitter.com/49S7Qvn1yZ
— Azzam Muhajir (@azzam_muhajir) May 1, 2021
Attacks intensified after US President Joe Biden said American troops, who have been in the country for two decades, will be withdrawn from Afghanistan by September 11. During peace talks with the Taliban in February 2020, Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump, had promised that the pullout will be complete by May 1, with the new date reportedly angering the group.
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On Friday, a car bomb explosion caused the collapse of a building and killed 30 people in the main city of Afghanistan’s Logar province. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
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