Massive explosion rattles city in Jordan

By Laith Al-jnaidi and Gulsen Topcu

AMMAN

A massive explosion rocked the city of Zarqa in Jordan early Friday due to an electric short circuit at an army munitions depot, according to a government spokesman.

Amjad Adaileh told Jordan’s state-run news agency Petra that the blast occurred in a warehouse containing unused bombs.

He said the depot is located in an isolated area far from any settlements, adding there were no immediate reports of casualties.

Earlier, the Al Ghad daily cited a security official who did not want to be named as saying the blast occurred at an army artillery camp in the al-Ghabawi area of Zarqa, which is located northeast of the capital Amman.

It was reported that security forces were trying to extinguish a fire that broke out after the explosion.

Several videos were posted on social media of the blast.

*Writing by Jeyhun Aliyev from Ankara