Bulgarian authorities have launched an investigation into a fire that broke out at an ammunition storage facility operated by arms manufacturer EMCO near the village of Tsareva Livada.
The fire broke out on Friday evening and comes after a similar incident at another company facility in August. No casualties have been reported so far, while employees were evacuated and the area was cordoned off.
Police said there is currently no danger to the public, while the extent of the damage has yet to be determined.
Ammunition produced by EMCO is also used in Ukraine, while authorities have not ruled out the possibility that the fire may have been caused by sabotage. The company, meanwhile, has ruled out human error as a possible cause.
Bulgaria’s Interior Minister said the investigation would also examine previous fires at EMCO facilities and those belonging to other companies to determine whether there is any connection or common pattern.
Slavcho Dimiev, manager of EMCO’s production facilities, said the site was primarily used for ammunition storage, including a small quantity of medium-caliber shells. He called for additional security measures to protect facilities within the arms industry.
