Video/ An arms depot explodes in Bulgaria, the second incident linked to EMCO in a matter of weeks

A powerful fire broke out overnight at an arms depot near the village of Tsareva Livada in central Bulgaria following an explosion.

According to the authorities, no one was injured in the incident. The flames, meanwhile, spread from one warehouse to another.

The facility where the incident occurred is operated by the Bulgarian arms company EMCO, local media reported, citing a company official.

Kristina Sidorova, governor of the Gabrovo region, said in the early hours of Saturday that the fire had engulfed the factory’s warehouse area and was spreading to other buildings as well.

This is the second reported explosion in a matter of weeks at a facility linked to EMCO. A similar incident at another company facility was also recorded last month.

The cause of the explosion has not yet been determined. Reuters said it had been unable to immediately contact EMCO for comment.

EMCO is headed by Bulgarian arms dealer Emilian Gebrev, who has in the past accused Russian agents of attacks against his properties.

During 2024, Bulgarian authorities issued arrest warrants for six Russian nationals suspected of involvement in the explosions that destroyed EMCO arms depots. Bulgarian prosecutors said the facilities stored ammunition that was to be exported to Ukraine and Georgia between 2011 and 2020.

Bulgarian prosecutors had previously assessed that there could be a link between the explosions at arms depots in Bulgaria, the attempted poisoning of Emilian Gebrev in 2015 and the 2014 explosions at ammunition depots in the Czech Republic.

Moscow has denied accusations of involvement in these incidents. Bulgarian authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the latest explosion.