site.btaExplosion in Warehouse Storing Projectiles; No One Hurt

Explosion in Warehouse Storing Projectiles; No One Hurt

Sofia, March 22 (BTA) - An explosion took place at 7.30 p.m.
local time on Saturday in a warehouse of the Sopot Vazov
Ordnance Plant located two kilometres way from the village of
Iganovo, nearl Plovdiv, Southern Bulgaria, the Interior Ministry
said in a press release. No one was hurt in the blast, nor is
there pollution of the air as a result of it.

The area is cordoned off. Fire vehicles arrived on the scene of
the accident immediately.

Defence Minister Nikolai Nenchev, Interior Ministry Chief
Secretary Georgi Kostov, head of the Plovdiv police Plamen
Ouzonov, Plovdiv Regional Governor Rozalin Pertkov, and other
officials arrived on the scene of the accident.

Economy Minister Bozhidar Loukarski who too visited the scene
said that there is no danger for the population. He said the
last explosion occurred around a quarter of eight in the evening
on Saturday. No evacuation of people is required, although some
of the people living closest to the warehouse have left their
houses. Loukarski said the warehouse stored about 2,000 unguided
rocket projectiles.

Head of the Vazov Ordnance Plant Ivan Stoenchev said that the
warehouse stored ready produce and that there were no production
facilities in it. Stoenchev said that after the blast, a device
was activated whose purpose was to protect adjacent buildings
against the spreading of the blast wave. He said there are not
even broken windows.

The site was overflown with a drone in Sunday. Head of the 61st
Stryama Brigade Brigadier General Dimiter Shivikov said that the
drone observation and the observation with heavy machinery from
around the site did not show the presence of a crater or damage
outside the warehouse.

Environment and Water Ministry Ivelina Vassileva said that no
air pollution or presence of harmful substances has been
detected in the air in the village of Iganovo. She said
measurements were made three times with a mobile laboratory.
Vassileva said the ammunitions in the warehouse did not contain
hazardous substances and cannot do harm the environment.

A pre-trial proceeding was launched into the accident on Sunday,
Plovdiv Regional Prosecutor Roumen Popov said. He said about
800 people who worked in the warehouse or had access to it will
be questioned. The workshop will remain shut until it is
established that there is no threat for the workers.

Interior Ministry Chief Secretary Kostov said that police is
following all possible leads for the accident and declined to to comment them.