+Erik 1,731 Posted August 4, 2010 Russian hellish fires completely destroyed naval base outside Moscow: 200 aircraft burnt down The forest fire has destroyed a large Russian naval base outside Moscow. Its occurred on July 29, but became known only on August 3. A Russian news agency, Life News, was the first to report about the incident: according to its data, 200 aircraft with the value of about $ 670 million had been reduced to ashes outside Moscow. The very base of 100 hectares was completely burnt down, the agency reported citing its source. Other sources confirm the report. "Initial inquiry is being conducted on a fire on the naval base", the military investigations department at the Moscow military district commented on the information, giving neither the number of military aircraft, nor the damages caused fires. Later, the ITAR-TASS news agency issued a statement by the defense ministry: indeed, "the upstream fire spread to the territory of one of the units in the Kolomna district on July 29". "The fire spread over to a secret unit of the area of 100 hectares in 10 minutes", a source of Life News said. At the same time, it said, it is not only from an emergency situation from that the servicemen suffered. "One building in the storage area of the Navy was also burnt down. The damage there is several times less - about $ 33 million", the source added. Official spokesman for Investigations Committee, Vladimir Markin, confirmed that an initial inquiry into the fire is being conducted by the military investigations department. The fire occurred on Thursday 29 July. It took place at about 04:00 pm on the storage base of aviation and technical equipment belonging to the Russian Navy, which is located near the town of Kolomna, Moscow Region, Markin said to the Moscow Interfax news agency. He said nothing about 200 jets and helicopters and $ 670 million damage, but pointed out that the HQ, a financial unit, a club, two buildings of the car park, 13 storage facilities with different aircraft, 17 open storage areas for equipment with cars on them, were burnt down. "On July 30, the hotbeds of fire were localized. No one was suffered as a result", claims Markin. According to unofficial data, the Central Aerotechnical Base (CAB) of the Russian Navy Air Force and Air Defense is located on the outskirts of the town of Kolomna (Shurovo District in Moscow Region). The main tasks of the military unit are receiving, storing and processing aerial, hydrographic and navigating equipment coming from industrial enterprises, aviation and technical units, military schools and repair facilities of the Navy. Russian Northern Fleet, Pacific Fleet, Baltic Fleet, Black Sea Fleet, the Caspian flotilla, the St. Petersburg Naval Base, units of the Russian Navy Air Forces, received maintenance at the CAB for 60 years. No more. The fire completely destroyed this largest military base of the Russian Navy. Department of Monitoring Kavkaz Center Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gr.Viper 131 Posted August 4, 2010 *hit happens. The firemen seem to be more concerned with nuclear facility ATM. That and villages. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stingray72 6 Posted August 4, 2010 My question is this: how do you let 600 million dolars worth of military aircrafty burn down in a forest fire? lol, don't they have a procedure for that? Stingray Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FastCargo 412 Posted August 4, 2010 It could have happened VERY quickly...depends on a lot of factors. FC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gr.Viper 131 Posted August 4, 2010 If it were just that they'd probably put the fire out, but currently forest and peat fires are counted by hundreds and they threaten villages, towns and a nuclear research centre while firefighters are severely undermanned and extinguished fires pop back up the moment the earth dries. Also let's not forget about oil refineries. This night I heard a loud blast and in the morning read reports that the largest refinery which is usuallly clearly seen from my window (ATM visibility is 100m) had a fire put out on of its pumps. Somehow I doubt is was a simple fire. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Capitaine Vengeur 263 Posted August 4, 2010 I would have expected that no tree, scrub or bush could be found within 200 or 300 yards around such an important strategic base, to enforce a careful watch. A legacy of the old Soviet paranoia that would have been welcome in that case. I hope that all of those hot ashes were insured at the Mafia... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gr.Viper 131 Posted August 4, 2010 MoD reports that there is no Navy air base there at all. Of course now there isn't. I would have expected that no tree, scrub or bush could be found within 200 or 300 yards around such an important strategic base, to enforce a careful watch. Authorities of one of the regions are to stand trial because they chose not to take any preventive measures which led no numerous deaths in fires. They don't care about population, why would they keep an eye on a storage facility? But, hey, the president cancelled his summer vacation and is holding a meeting on the situation so everything will be fine, right? ... Right? Fires map http://pozhar.yandex.ru/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Arrigo 0 Posted August 4, 2010 Not to be too harsh... but an yone verified the report? It seems the usual journalistic embellishement. Arrigo Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+hgbn 91 Posted August 4, 2010 If it only took 10 minutes for the fire to spread to the entire "base" then the fire fighters couldn't have done much anyway. And at this rate of spreading it probably just proves that this was not a base but a totally over grown junkyard . Just my 2 cents Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gr.Viper 131 Posted August 4, 2010 Initailly the media reported what you read above. Now some quote officials saying that it was a secret storage facility for discarded materials and equipment, the fire was put out in 2 hours and the damage was minimal (just a dozen stores). Conveniently enough the finances section of the unit burned down as well. :wink2: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JediMaster 451 Posted August 4, 2010 Apparently the knowledge of what exactly was there burned up as well! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sakai 2 Posted August 4, 2010 Wow, some crazy stuff to be sure. Hope all that are in the area are staying safe, and that the fires will be under full control soon. Seems the whole natural disaster thing is really hopping in 2010! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gr.Viper 131 Posted August 5, 2010 It's sorta official now. If it were a simple junk storage then the top brass of Navy wouldn't be getting a warning for incompetence. Also the heads of naval supply and naval aviation and the commander of the burned down unit wouldn't be fired so rapidly. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canadair 16 Posted August 5, 2010 Believe it or not, we just finished planning a flight to deploy waterbombers in the area. I received the alert call about 4 hours ago, anc currently waiting for the go. As always, waterbombers support has been called way too late. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gr.Viper 131 Posted August 5, 2010 Too late? http://pozhar.yandex.ru/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
