Arms factory explosion in Bulgaria kills 1, leaves 2 missing

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — An explosion in a weapons factory in southern Bulgaria killed a 55-year-old man and left two women missing Tuesday.

Health officials have confirmed the death of the man and said one woman was taken to hospital with a severe brain injury.

Regional prosecutor Todor Deyanov said rescue teams expected to find the bodies of the missing women in the wreckage of the Arsenal factory but have not started searching through the debris because of the risk of triggering a secondary blast.

The explosion that destroyed most of the building appears to have been set off in a fireworks production unit. Arsenal is the biggest weapons producer in Bulgaria, and the bulk of its output is in small firearms and small artillery systems.

An investigation into the incident was launched. Last year, a worker died in a fire that broke out in the same factory.

In recent years, 20 people died in accidents in different arms factories and ammunition depots across Bulgaria.