An explosion at a crowded fuel depot in Nagorno-Karabakh may have resulted in mass casualties, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Armenian service reported on Sept. 25.

According to local reports, there are 200 victims, many of whom have serious burn injuries, RFE/RL's Armenia service said. The wounded have been taken to hospitals for treatment.  

A confirmed number of casualties has not yet been made public.  

The explosion reportedly took place while fuel was being distributed to people who were driving to Armenia, Russian independent outlet Meduza said, citing the local authorities.

Thousands of people from Nagorno-Karabakh have fled to Armenia in recent days, following the Sept. 20 surrender of the territory to the Azerbaijani military after 24 hours of attacks by Azerbaijani forces.

Nagorno-Karabakh is recognized as Azerbaijani territory under international law. Its population of 120,000 is predominantly Armenian.

The territory declared independence in 1991 with Yerevan's military support. Until 2020, Armenia de facto controlled Nagorno-Karabakh together with the surrounding regions.

In 2021 Azerbaijan also invaded several internationally recognized Armenian territories in the east of the country and continues to occupy them.