Policka, East Bohemia, Sept 9 (CTK) – Some 320 tonnes of gunpowder exploded in the hall measuring 100 times 50 metres in the Czech Policske strojirny machine works yesterday morning, firefighters spokeswoman Vendula Horakova and police spokeswoman Hana Kaizarova have told CTK.
Due to the explosion, the roof of the hall was blown away over 50 metres to a forest. Two persons were slightly burned in the subsequent fire, the spokeswoman said.
Policske strojirny specialise in disposal of ammunition.
The accident was under control since the beginning and did not threaten the area around the plant, manufacturing executive Helena Pazderova has CTK.
General director Jaroslav Travnicek said smokeless gunpowder had exploded.
Its effect is not as strong as in the case of gunpowder, Travnicek said.
The fire was announced at about 7.30 a.m. Eight firefighting teams were called in.
“Immediately after the explosion, the firefighters used the necessary water to put out the fire of the hall,” Horakova said.
“The fire rapidly spread to the adjacent wood,” she added.
“The firefighters gradually extinguished all the sources of fire in the wood, mainly concentrating on the fire in the hall,” Horakova said.
Two men who suffered minor burns were hospitalised.
Policske strojirny, a joint stock company since 1992, produces pneumatic systems and elements and technologies for measurement and drawing of liquids.
