Huge explosion rocks Tashkent airport in ex-Soviet republic Uzbekistan: Fireball hundreds of feet high lights up night sky and destroys nearby homes as locals claim blast was heard 20 miles away

A powerful explosion rocked Uzbekistan after midnight with reports of a fireball hundreds of feet high lighting up the night sky. 

A customs warehouse at the airport has exploded according to Uzbek news website Daryo said.

Flights at Tashkent International Airport appeared to be taking off and landing as normal, data from flight tracking website FlightRadar24 showed.

A notice to airmen issued at 10.15pm GMT yesterday said a runway at the airport would be closed for takeoff and landing between 2am and 7pm today, but a segment would be available for taxis. It did not provide a reason.

A customs warehouse at the airport has exploded according to Uzbek news website Daryo said

According to a Daryo post on social media, the Ministry of Emergency Situations received a call that a fire had occurred due to a strong explosion at one of the warehouses located in the city’s Sergeli district.

Fire and rescue crews and vehicles have arrived at the scene and are currently extinguishing the fire, the post said, adding details of injuries and deaths as a result of the fire were not yet known.