OGULIN/ZAGREB, Nov 16 (Hina) - Five soldiers were severely injured and 16 sustained light injuries in an explosion which happened in the military barracks of Ogulin (some 100 kilometres south-west of Zagreb) on Thursday
morning.
OGULIN/ZAGREB, Nov 16 (Hina) - Five soldiers were severely injured
and 16 sustained light injuries in an explosion which happened in
the military barracks of Ogulin (some 100 kilometres south-west of
Zagreb) on Thursday morning.#L#
All injured conscripts were taken to a local hospital immediately
after the tragedy, and underwent necessary surgery. A lower leg of
one and both lower legs of another seriously wounded soldier were
amputated in the Ogulin infirmary.
Another three seriously wounded young men were transported by
military helicopter to the Zagreb hospital "Dubrava" where they
were treated for their abdominal and chest injuries. They also
underwent surgery. Two of the three hospitalised patients in Zagreb
were conscious on Thursday evening and doctors said they would
probably leave the intensive care unit on Friday. The third was
still on a respirator. According to doctors, the lives of all of
them were not in danger on Thursday evening. The hospitalised
soldiers in Ogulin were out of critical condition as well.
The accident in the barracks occurred at 9.18 hours Thursday,
during the regular procedure of weapons-cleaning which took place
in a room with explosive devices.
Croatian Defence Minister Jozo Rados on Thursday said he would
offer his resignation to Prime Minister Ivica Racan due to this
morning's explosion in the Ogulin military barracks.
Rados tendered his resignation as a moral act immediately after the
blast.
Prime Minister Racan on Thursday evening said he would decide on the
resignation Defence Minister Jozo Rados tendered earlier in the
day, after all circumstances of the Ogulin barracks explosion and
direct responsibility for that tragedy were established.
"On the basis of available data I assess this was an accident which
must not have happened, but an investigation will establish how it
happened and who was directly responsible for it," Racan told
reporters.
The Croatian Armed Forces Main Staff commander, General Petar
Stipetic, said he had suspended the entire command chain in
question - from the commander of the barracks to the instructor.
According to Minister Rados, a 82-millimetre shell was exploded in
a room where 27 soldiers were cleaning weapons. Both the minister
and Gen. Stipetic confirmed that such an explosive device should
not have been in that room, and it went off probably owing to an
incautious play of a few conscripts.
One of the injured soldiers, treated in the Ogulin hospital, said
the blast had occurred when two soldiers, who were cleaning mortars
took a shell labelled as practice ammunition and put it into the
mortar playing with it.
"As the shell was combat one and not for the practice, it exploded
and almost all soldiers inside the room were injured," the soldier
said adding that at the time of accident the commander, namely the
their instructor, was not in that arms depot.
During its session on Thursday the Government ordered to the
Defence Ministry to notify it of results of the probe as well as of
measures which should be taken in response to consequences of this
explosion and because of prevention of similar possible tragedies
in the future.
On his own behalf and on behalf of the Government, Premier Racan
expressed sympathy with the injured young men and their families,
and voiced hope they would successfully recuperate from the
wounds.
(hina) jn ms