More than 28,000 people were evacuated from a city in central Russia as authorities battled a massive blaze at a major arms depot. Around 10,000 tonnes of shells were being stored at the depot near the city of Izhevsk in the Volga region of Udmurtia. The blaze has injured 28 people. Eight persons have been hospitalised following injuries from shrapnel wounds. Television footage showed balls of fire rising up from the depot in regular explosions at night, while a thick column of smoke poured from the site by morning. The Russian Defence Ministry said no military personnel at the depot have sustained any casualties. The depot was storing old ammunition to be destroyed – equating to around 58,000 tonnes of TNT. The cause of the fire is being investigated.