MOSCOW: Six people were killed in an accidental explosion at a Russian military firing range in Siberia, reports said Monday.

Two military engineers -- a major and a lieutenant colonel -- and four employees of a local munitions firm were killed in the explosion in the Altai region of south Siberia, the RIA Novosti and Interfax news agencies reported.

The explosion happened while the victims were transporting gunpowder and rejected munitions on a truck in the firing range. The truck also burned.

The explosion took place on Saturday, RIA Novosti said, but these were the first reports of the incident to emerge.

BDST: 12:18 HRS, July 5, 2010