Fuel depot blazes in Ukraine, three firemen missing

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) - Emergency services struggled to prevent the spread of a deadly fuel depot fire outside Kiev on Tuesday and three firemen were reported missing after the blaze 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 huge pall of black smoke over the area surrounding the depot near Vasylkiv, 30 km (19 miles) from Kiev.