New Delhi, Sha'ban 24, 1437, May 31, 2016, SPA -- Seventeen soldiers were killed in a major blaze at India's largest munitions depot in the western state of Maharashtra on Tuesday, defence officials and police said, according to dpa. Two officers and 15 junior soldiers died in the blaze at the Central Ammunition Depot in Pulgaon in Wardha district, deputy police chief Smita Patil said. Nineteen more were critically injured, but were "out of danger," she said by phone. "The main fire has been extinguished. The situation is under control," she said. Some 600 people living in nearby areas had been evacuated from around the depot, reported to be the second largest in Asia. The fire broke out at around 1:30 am (2000 GMT Monday) and quickly spread in the complex. Witnesses said they heard several explosions. --SPA 10:14 LOCAL TIME 07:14 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w