Search Underway for Missing Pair Following Devastating Explosion in Bankya
Authorities in Bankya are conducting a search operation for two individuals, a man and a woman, following an explosion that occurred in a private home
Shortly after 10:30 a.m., under the direction of the District Prosecutor's Office - Sofia, investigators from the National Investigation Service and the District Investigation Service, along with fire department teams and specialized units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, began an inspection of the warehouses near Elin Pelin, reports BNT. These warehouses experienced uncontrollable pyrotechnic explosions and a subsequent fire on Thursday evening.
Two severely burned bodies, believed to be those of the men known to have been in the warehouses at the time of the incident, were found at the scene. Efforts to identify them are ongoing, according to the Prosecutor's Office, as reported by BNT.
This brings the death toll from the accident near Elin Pelin to four.
The inspection of the scene is expected to continue throughout the day, with the prosecution, the investigation, and the Ministry of the Interior set to provide further details later today.
Earlier today, Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov updated the public on the explosion at the fireworks warehouse in Elin Pelin, confirming three fatalities and one person missing, presumed to be in the explosion's epicenter. The latest victim was found near the warehouse entrance, and the body's condition prevented immediate identification.
The blast's magnitude caused substantial destruction, with thick walls and concrete slabs thrown several meters. The situation remains complex, and the investigation is ongoing, with the counter-terrorism squad securing the site using thermal panels and fire-resistant foams.
Witnesses included a security guard who helped rescue two individuals and a boy who escaped the fire. Stoyanov criticized the boy's parents for not promptly informing authorities, complicating survivor tracking.
The warehouse owner is cooperating fully, and evacuation of nearby residents was necessary due to potential further explosions. All causes are being considered, and the investigation will scrutinize the warehouse's off-hours activities, with a thorough probe by the prosecutor's office expected.
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