Five injured in Albanian explosions hospitalized in Greece

ATHENS, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Five people including two children injured seriously in a string of explosions at an Albanian army base were being treated in Thessaloniki hospitals in Northern Greece on Sunday, according to Athens News Agency (ANA).

Two children and three adults, all Albanian citizens, are being treated in Thessaloniki, where they were transported at dawn Sunday aboard Hellenic Army carrier C-130.

Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis spoke by phone on Saturday with his Albanian counterpart Sali Berisha, assuring him that Greece was prepared to provide assistance if required, and ordered the relevant ministries to facilitate any assistance required.

A Hellenic Army C-130 personnel carrier took off for Albania on Saturday night, transporting vials of blood, medical personnel and equipment, while military and civilian hospitals were put on alert for the treatment of injured people.

A string of large explosions occurred Saturday at the army base near Tirana, where obsolete munitions destined for destruction were stored, which killed at least five people and injured more than 250.