The number of people injured in the artillery depot fire near the town of Svatove in Luhansk region rose to eight by 11:00 local time on Friday, according to the Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff.

"There are fatalities. Two people are dead. Four servicemen and four Svatove residents have been injured. They promptly received medical attention," says a report posted on the website of Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff spokesman in the Luhansk region Ruslan Tkachuk.

According to preliminary information, nine five-storey buildings, six four-storey buildings and 20 three-storey buildings have been damaged. The scattering of shells started local fires last night. State Emergency Service crews and military units controlled and put out those fires.

Firefighting tanks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are engaged in the effort. State Emergency Service details are watering the tanks.

An operative staff involving representatives of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, law enforcement agencies, the State Emergency Service, and national and local self-government bodies has been set up in Svatove.

"One hundred and eighteen patients of the Svatove district hospital, 100 residents of the local old people's home and 116 boarding school residents have been evacuated from the town. Twenty-nine servicemen have left the depot premises," the spokesman said.