Large blast at Macedonian steel factory badly injures worker

May 4th, 2010 - 4:48 pm ICT by BNO News  

SKOPJE (BNO NEWS) — A large explosion at a steel factory in the Macedonian capital badly injured one person on Tuesday morning, according to authorities.

The blast at the factory happened at 7.55 a.m. local time in the north of Skopje, according to NATO and the country’s Center for Crisis Management. One person was injured and transported to a local hospital with severe burns.

Local media outlets initially reported that a NATO plane could have caused the explosion, which caused panic to some residents in the area, but NATO spokesman Sasko Golov said no NATO planes were missing.

Golov said there were two possible explanations for the blast at the factory in Skopje. “[The] first one, a container with some kind of gas exploded in a steel factory and [flew] almost two kilometers,” he said. “The second possibility is that it was a drone (unmanned aircraft), belonging to the Macedonian Ministry of Interior.” Golov said the Ministry of Interior is still investigating that possibility.

However, Golov said the first possibility is most likely. Pictures broadcast by local television stations from the second impact site appeared to show a part of gas tank.

An investigation is ongoing.

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