There are likely fatalities from the ammo blast in southern Bulgaria, stated the Regional Prosecutor in the city of Yambol, Georgi Handzhiev.

24 hours after the explosion, Handzhiev, cited by the largest private TV channel bTV, is the very first official to presume casualties.

On Tuesday, a series of blasts occurred at a private-owned ammo site near the Petolachkata road junction close to Sliven, injuring at least 9 people, two of them critically. Three of the ammunition depot's employees are still missing.

The Prosecutor, however, points out that the facts cannot be firmly established at the moment.

"Most likely, judging from the crater that has formed by the blast, there will be some human fatalities, but we cannot yet talk about their exact number, because those missing could have escaped in some way or not been at all there at the time of the incident," said he, adding the final answer will come when rescue and search teams are able to enter the facilities.

The above move can be undertaken 24 hours after the last registered explosion, which so far has happened around 12:30 pm on Wednesday.

Teams of the Operational and Technical Information Directorate, DOTI, at the Interior Ministry are currently conducting controlled blasts at the depot. The Prosecutor says they have been able to significantly reduce the search perimeter there.

There are two main leads in the cause of the explosion – human error or technical failure of the equipment.

Meanwhile, also speaking for bTV, the Deputy Chief Prosecutor, Boyko Naydenov, informed that his office is probing suspected stark violations of safety procedures in the storing of the ammo.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!