Large explosion rips through Italian munitions factory
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E-mailROME, Aug 13 (Reuters) - A powerful explosion ripped through a munitions factory near the town of Colleferro, southeast of Rome, on Thursday, with the blast heard for kilometres around.
Firefighters and police were at the site responding to a fire when the explosion occurred, reports said.
"The situation is under control", mayor of Colleferro Giulio Calamita told reporters, adding that he was awaiting confirmation that there were no casualties or injuries.
The blast hit a plant operated by KNDS Ammo Italy, part of the Franco-German defence group KNDS. The company did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
KNDS Ammo manufactures medium- and large-calibre ammunition for land and naval defence systems, as well as solid propellants for aerospace launch vehicles, according to its website.
The company is among the contractors on European Defence Agency 155-mm ammunition framework agreements concluded in 2023, EU documents show.
Calamita said the explosion occurred during the summer vacation when the plant was closed, adding that otherwise "it would have been a tragedy". He said efforts were underway to put out the last fires.
Television footage had shown a large plume of smoke rising above the industrial site as emergency services worked in the area.
(Writing by Gavin Jones and Anna Uras, editing by Aidan Lewis)
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