Fire triggered by explosions rages in big Berlin city forest

By KIRSTEN GRIESHABER
Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) — A large fire triggered by explosions at an ammunition dump is raging in a major Berlin urban forest on one of the German capital’s hottest days so far this year. A huge cloud of grey smoke hung over the city’s western districts Thursday and residents were asked to keep windows and doors shut. A major highway was closed and a train service interrupted, but authorities said no homes or inhabitants were under direct threat. More than 100 firefighters, dozens of soldiers and police battled the blaze in west Berlin’s Grunewald forest. Army tanks cut corridors into the forest to contain the fire and allow firefighters to get closer. The cause of the explosions at the dump was unknown.