Fuel depot blaze in Ukraine kills five

Smoke rises from a fuel depot where a fire broke out, near Vasylkiv in Kiev region, Ukraine, June 9, 2015. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko

VASYLKIV, Ukraine (Reuters) - A massive fire at a Ukrainian fuel depot killed five people on Tuesday, officials said, including three firemen who went missing after the flames triggered a powerful explosion.

The fire burned overnight and by morning had spread to at least 16 tanks, most of them storing petrol. That sent a pall of black smoke over the area around the depot near Vasylkiv, 30 km (19 miles) from Kiev. The depot's owners said they suspected arson.