Explosion at an arms depot in Bulgaria. Authorities do not rule out the possibility of “external interference”

Bulgarian authorities are investigating a fire that broke out overnight from Friday to Saturday at a weapons depot belonging to EMCO in the town of Tsareva Livada. The fire was extinguished, and investigators are also examining the possibility of external intervention or an act of sabotage. No casualties were reported.

Bulgarian Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev said authorities would compare the incident with fires and explosions that previously occurred at EMCO depots and at other companies, in order to identify any possible links or a common pattern. He did not rule out the possibility that the fire had been started from outside.

The depot mainly housed ammunition, including a small quantity of medium-calibre cartridges, according to Slavcho Dimiev, director of EMCO’s production units. He called for additional measures to secure such facilities.

The incident comes several weeks after an explosion followed by a fire at another EMCO depot in western Bulgaria. The company is headed by arms dealer Emilian Gebrev, who Bulgarian prosecutors previously said had been targeted in attacks carried out by Russian agents. The exact cause of the latest fire has not yet been established.