August 10, 2026: A major industrial disaster occurred in Bulgaria. A powerful explosion took place at a military factory located near the village of Belitsa (Tryavna municipality), followed by a large-scale fire. Preliminary data suggests the fire started with a truck, triggering a chain reaction of detonations at an ammunition depot. The situation is complicated by the fact that the fire has spread to nearby forest areas, and thick smoke is visible in the air.
Course of events and scale of the incident
The incident occurred during the day. The initial explosion was so powerful that it was clearly heard in surrounding settlements. According to eyewitnesses and local media, regular secondary explosions began on the ammunition depot site after the first blast. This indicates that the fire reached storage facilities containing highly sensitive combat materials. Rescue services are working in emergency mode to localize the fire, but weather conditions and the nature of the combustible substances are hindering their efforts.
Evacuation and safety measures
Due to the threat to life and health, the authorities of the Gabrovo region activated the BG-ALERT warning system. Mayor Dencho Minev confirmed that all enterprise employees were evacuated by bus. Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev stated the necessity of evacuating residents of nearby settlements. The area around the factory has been completely cordoned off, a checkpoint has been set up at the junction near the village of Armanyankovtsi, and traffic is blocked. Residents are urged to close windows, use protective masks, and not leave their homes unless absolutely necessary due to air pollution with toxic substances.
Causes and sabotage theory
The official causes of the incident have not yet been established; an investigation is underway. Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev suggested that the causes could be of an "internal nature," but did not rule out other scenarios. In the context of current geopolitical tensions in the region, the incident in Bulgaria is drawing heightened attention. Earlier, on the morning of August 8, an unknown drone entered the country's airspace from the direction of Romania. The Bulgarian Ministry of Defense then suggested it could have been a Ukrainian "Maya" decoy, but the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs categorically refuted this, stating that their Defense Forces had not sent any assets towards Bulgaria.
Contradictory data
There is a discrepancy between official statements and eyewitness accounts regarding the situation. On one hand, Mayor Dencho Minev stated that there are no victims or injured, and the fire has already been extinguished. On the other hand, reports from the scene and video footage confirm that forest fires continue, and explosions are still audible at the depot. This creates uncertainty regarding how effectively the aftermath has been managed and what the actual level of threat to residents is at this moment.
