2024-08-16 14:19:12
In 21 days, the investigators seized over 50 pieces of evidence from the site in the village of Gara Elin Pelin, which they are investigating
A full 21 days after the tragedy in which 4 people died in fireworks warehouses near the village of Elin Pelin Station, it is still not even clear whether the premises where they died was legal. It has yet to be clarified whether associate professor Petar Shishkov, his daughter Kristina, Teodor Popov, son of the owner of the warehouse Todor, as well as Stoyan Maslev, close to the associate professor, had the right to be there on July 25. This became clear on Thursday.
More than 50 pieces of evidence were seized from the room where the four died. It is not clear whether it had act 16. The inspections were done between August 5 and 9, because then it was possible to enter because of residual explosions, explained the district prosecutor of Sofia, Natalia Nikolova. Eight inspections have been carried out, but they are at other locations – including a nearby food chain warehouse where a fire broke out caused by some of the fireworks. There, the damage was over BGN 3 million, because the goods were no longer usable.
So far, it is known that in the warehouses of the company “Enigma”, which manages the site, there was only for export 496 tons of fireworks. But the company also has distribution, as well as providing pyrotechnics for shows.
Prof. Shishkov and Maslev were at the site precisely to get fireworks for a wedding the next day. Christina and Theodore arrived to change the car.
The investigators worked on all versions of the tragedy. Neither an accidental act nor negligence or intent was excluded.
It is already clear that Maslev and Teodor died instantly from the explosion, and then their bodies were burned. Christina died of her burns on July 27, and her father a day earlier, but from poisoning, burns and trams when he was thrown from the shock wave. However, he managed to get his daughter out and reach the firefighters who responded to the scene.
The investigator in the case, Ivan Delchev, even admitted that the tragedy might have happened because of the 35 degree heat.
He indicated that thousands of pages of documents were being examined. Only the reference from the KOS service is 4,000 sheets. He explained that the warehouses have a manager, but it was clarified whether he did not receive verbal orders from the owner Todor Popov. This would constitute a violation of safety rules. For now, the investigation is being conducted for causing death with indirect intent – negligent working conditions.
Only after the conclusions of the complex examination of the evidence become clear, it will be investigated whether there was a fire or an explosion first. This will be done with a new expertise.
Construction documents will also be requested from several ministries and DNSK. Since the full amount of fireworks in the warehouse is not clear, it is also unknown whether it was overcrowded. So far, there are no accused. Delchev even admitted that it is possible that it will never be clear what exactly happened to lead to the tragedy. The case was unique, because so far such explosions with casualties have only occurred at military facilities.
“If it wasn’t such a serious case, it wouldn’t have fallen to you”, the chief prosecutor Borislav Sarafov told him.
Over the next 2 months, all the readings will be collated, clips submitted by people and the media will be watched and the information available will be read. Charges will come when investigators are sure they have enough evidence.