Bulgaria: Explosions and fire at ammunition depot in central Bulgaria

A fire broke out overnight at an ammunition depot in Gorni Varpishta, central Bulgaria. The news portal “Novinite” reported the incident. The depot belongs to the Emco arms factory.

Ammunition caught fire in the affected facility, and a series of explosions were heard at the scene. Only two security guards were inside, who quickly evacuated the area, and no injuries were reported.

The area has been cordoned off by police and firefighters to ensure the safety of the local population. Due to the risk of further explosions, the area will be inspected by drone to determine the exact extent of the damage and assess when teams can safely proceed with complete extinguishing the fire.

The Ministry of the Interior in Sofia has specified that the nearest settlement is more than a kilometer from the depot and that there is currently no danger to residents. The fire is also visible from Veliko Tarnovo.

The city’s mayor, Daniel Panov, announced that the mayors of the villages of Shemshevo, Bukovets, and Pushevo have inspected the areas surrounding the settlements.

No fires have been identified in the Veliko Tarnovo municipality, and the area has also been inspected by firefighters. Last night’s fire is the second to break out at an Emco plant in just over a month.

On August 10, a fire broke out at another plant near the village of Belitsa, also in Gabrovo province.