site.btaSmoke Reported at Petrohan Lodge, No Fire Found, Police Says

A security team guarding Petrohan Lodge noticed smoke coming from the building on March 12 at around 4:20 p.m., the Regional Directorate of the Interior Ministry in Sofia said.

Authorities immediately notified the Interior Ministry’s Secretary General, an investigative team from the National Police General Directorate, the district prosecutor and the fire service, according to the statement.

A team from the Fire Safety and Civil Protection General Directorate that arrived at the scene established that there was no fire. Instead, smoke was coming from a room where wet pellets had been stored. Foam was used as a precautionary measure to prevent a possible ignition.

The area will remain under round-the-clock security until further instructions from the prosecuting magistracy, the Interior Ministry said.

Earlier on Friday, caretaker Interior Minister Emil Dechev said he was unaware of reports about a recent fire near Petrohan when asked about the issue. Speaking on bTV, Dechev said he would immediately check the information, adding that it could simply be a rumour.

Petrohan-Okolchitsa is a high-profile criminal case in which five men and a 15-year-old boy met a violent death between February 1 and 8. Their bodies were found in two remote mountain locations in Northwestern Bulgaria: a lodge near the Petrohan Pass and a camper van near Okolchitsa Peak. Forensic experts established that all six died of gunshot wounds. Law enforcement officials said the principal leads they followed, based on ballistics findings, the causes of death have been identified as suicide at the lodge and homicide and suicide in the camper.