site.btaEMCO Manager: Nothing Indicates External Interference in Plant in Ammunition Plant Near Tryavna

At present, there are no grounds to claim that the incident at the EMCO facility near Tryavna was caused by external interference, Slavcho Dimiev, manager at EMCO, who oversees the facility near Tryavna.

The incident began with a fire in one of the storage buildings, which was subsequently destroyed by the flames, Dimiev explained. The facility stored various types of ammunition and munitions, components for them, as well as propellant charges. “At this stage, the fire appears to have started from inside and spread outward,” Dimiev said. According to him, the fire was detected by employees working at the facility.

He noted that the storage building is in active use and that loading and unloading operations are carried out there almost every day. Employees who were unloading goods on Monday noticed smoke coming from the building and reported the incident. They had been instructed to evacuate immediately via the routes specified in the emergency evacuation plan in such situations. Thanks to the employees’ swift response, there were no casualties, injuries, or people suffering burns, Dimiev said.

When the substances contained in the ammunition burn, they produce smoke and generate heat, which, combined with the dry weather, likely contributed to the spread of several small forest fires in the area, Dimiev explained. He said that the exact cause of the fire has not yet been established. One of the possible explanations is the spontaneous ignition of a propellant charge.

“That is one of the possibilities,” he stressed, adding that the cause can be determined only after inspections and analyses have been carried out by the competent authorities.

According to him, a sufficient period of time must be allowed to pass before all operations at the site can be carried out, as there is a risk of secondary ignition. The dry weather also creates conditions for any potential new fire to spread rapidly.

Dimiev thanked the fire crews for their swift and precise response, as well as the minister and the institutions involved for the arrangements put in place and the assistance provided. “There is no danger to the population, and there is no risk of harmful or toxic gases or air pollution,” he assured. The facility is equipped with video surveillance, which was operating throughout the incident, Dimiev added. According to him, the site also has an anti-drone system. “We have absolutely no information indicating external interference,” Dimiev reiterated.

He urged people not to spread unconfirmed theories about the cause of the incident before the inspections and analyses have been completed, as this could cause unnecessary concern or panic among the population.