Fireworks inferno near Sofia prompts emergency evacuation
In the Elin Pelin region near the capital of Bulgaria, warehouses containing fireworks are burning. Initial reports mention four injured individuals, including two seriously. Residents have received immediate evacuation orders. A partial state of emergency is in effect in the region.
12:52 PM EDT, July 26, 2024
The fire broke out around 12:30 PM Eastern Time in Elin Pelin, near Sofia. According to mediapool.bg, three warehouses storing fireworks are on fire. The Prime Minister, Minister of Internal Affairs, and Minister of Defense have already arrived at the scene.
The evacuation of residents is ongoing, with urgent notices sent to them. "Immediate evacuation! Residents of Elin Pelin should evacuate immediately towards Novi Khan. The cause is a warehouse fire," the warnings read.
According to 24chasa.bg, dozens of ambulances and fire units have been deployed to the scene. Preliminary reports mention four injured individuals, including two seriously. One man was taken to the hospital with burns covering more than 80 percent of his body.
Authorities have stated that two more people may still be inside the building.
The portal bntnews.bg describes: "Thick smoke covered the entire field in Sofia. Due to the west-east wind, there are issues with flights from Sofia airport."
"I have information that one of the warehouses contained around 4,400 pounds of TNT equivalent. We do not have data on the quantity of fireworks and finished products. We know the warehouse was quite well stocked," said Dimitar Kangaldzhiev, the Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
A partial state of emergency has been declared in Elin Pelin, as well as in the villages of Gara Elin Pelin and Novi Khan. According to a television station, the homes of people living nearby were damaged – broken windows and collapsed ceilings.
The most powerful explosion in the burning warehouse caused a grocery chain's "Fantastico" warehouse to catch fire at a distance of approximately 656 yards, and it is currently burning. There is a danger that the fire, driven by the wind, may spread to adjacent areas and reach neighboring villages.
Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev assured that "the situation is under control." The area is secured, and residents have been evacuated. There is still no information about the two individuals who were thought to have remained in the warehouse.
Source: PAP/Novinite/X/WP
