At least five people have been killed and 200 injured in a series of powerful blasts at a munitons depot near the Albanian capital, Tirana.
The series of explosions at the site, about 12km north of the city, began at around midday and have continued since.
Military experts were disposing of shells at the time of the first explosion.
They were assisted by employees of a US company contracted by NATO to help the Albanian army get rid of surplus munitions dating from the Communist era. But no foreign nationals were at the site this morning.
The explosions blew in all the windows of the terminal building at the city's airport, just over 1km from the military base near the town of Vora. The airport was closed and all flights cancelled.
A number of homes near the depot were completely destroyed.
The initial explosion was so loud it was heard in neighbouring Macedonia, 150km away.
The numbers of dead and injured are expected to rise.
According to Albanian Defence Minister Fatmir Mediu, some 100,000 tonnes of antequated munitions from the Communist era remain in the country.
Their destruction is one of the conditions Albania has to fulfil to gain membership of NATO.
Along with Croatia and Macedonia, Albania hopes to be invited to join NATO at a summit in Bucharest in early April.
