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Explosion at El Fargue munitions factory in Granada leaves five injured
Bomb disposal experts inspect facility after routine shell disposal operation triggers blast and brush fire in Andalusian city
Diego Callejón
Granada
An explosion at the historic El Fargue munitions factory in Granada triggered a major emergency response on Friday morning, leaving five workers injured and causing ... a small brush fire in the surrounding area.
The incident occurred at approximately 8.58am in the factory's incineration zone during a routine operation to destroy artillery shells. The force of the blast sent shockwaves across Granada and produced a visible plume of smoke above the facility.
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Emergency services dispatched Granada Local Police, National Police, firefighters, and medical teams to the site, supported by surveillance helicopters. Initial medical assessments confirmed five minor casualties: two workers received treatment on-site for minor burns, while three others were transported to hospital suffering from acoustic trauma and hearing injuries.
National Police officers cordoned off a perimeter stretching several kilometres around the plant, closing local access roads to traffic. Technicians from the National Police TEDAX bomb disposal unit entered the site to evaluate secondary detonation risks and secure the incinerator area.
Granada fire crews quickly brought the resulting vegetation fire under control, while forensic investigators took statements from staff to determine why the routine burning process got out of hand. The incident comes just three weeks after another safety scare involving a factory transport lorry on 12 October.